tJmh  i 


m 


ml 


HISTO  R  Y 


OF 


KING'S    CHAPEL 


HISTORY  OF  KING'S  CHAPEL, 


IN    BOSTON; 


THE  FIRST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


IN   NEW  ENGLAND; 


COMPRISING    NOTICES    OF    THE    INTRODUCTION  OF    EPISCO- 
PACY   INTO    THE    NORTHERN    COLONIES. 


BY    F.  W.  P.    GREENWOOD, 

JUNIOR    MINISTER    OF    KING'S    CHAPEL. 


BOSTON: 
CARTER, HENDEE   &    CO. 

AND 
ALLEN  &   TICKNOR. 

1833. 


Entered,   according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1833, 

By  Carter,  Hendee  &  Co. 
in  the  Clerk's  office  of  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts, 


PRINTED    BT     I.     R.     Bl'TT». 


TO 

MY  FRIENDS  AND  PARISHIONERS, 

THE  SOCIETY  WORSHIPPING  AT  KING'S   CHAPEL, 

AND 

TO  MY  VENERABLE  COLLEAGUE, 

THE  REVEREND  JAMES  FREEMAN,  D.  D., 

THIS 

HISTORY  OF  OUR  CHURCH, 

IS  RESPECTFULLY  AND  AFFECTIONATELY  DEDICATED. 

F.  W.  P.  G. 


PREFATORY    NOTICE. 


The  substance  of  the  following  pages  was  preached 
before  my  Society  in  a  series  of  eight  discourses,  in 
the  spring  of  1S32.  In  printing  these  discourses,  I 
have  given  them  the  title  of  Periods,  because  the 
name  of  Sermons  seems  too  formal  for  such  a  subject, 
and  disturbs  the  appearance  of  historical  continuity.  I 
have,  however,  retained  the  style  of  direct  address  to 
an  audience,  in  the  belief  that  by  so  doing  I  should 
rather  help  than  hurt  or  hinder  the  narrative. 

I  have  ventured  to  publish  this  History  of  King's 
Chapel,  because  I  trusted  that  it  would  be  interesting 
to  the  members  of  my  congregation  ;  because  I  hoped 
that  it  might  be  interesting  to  readers  in  general,  as  a 
contribution,  though  small,  to  the  ecclesiastical  history 
of  New-England;  and  because  I  was  almost  sure  of 
the  favor  of  antiquaries,  to  whom  facts  are  never  un- 
important or  dull. 


Vlll 


PREFACE. 


Except  in  the  introduction,  I  have  confined  myself 
almost  exclusively  to  the  path  which  was  marked  out 
for  me  by  the  records  of  the  church.  I  might  have 
made  the  narrative  more  complete  by  a  more  diligent 
search  into  other  authorities  ;  but  this  would  have  in- 
volved much  labor  and  correspondence,  for  which  I 
had  not  the  requisite  time.  Besides  which,  the  ful- 
ness of  the  records  leaves  little  to  be  desired,  with 
respect  to  the  immediate  history  of  the  chapel. 

In  the  Appendix  I  have  introduced  such  a  selection 
from  the  mass  of  manuscript  documents,  as  I  judged 
would  be  most  worthy  of  publication.  More  would 
have  been  printed,  had  it  not  been  for  the  fear  of 
swelling  the  book  to  a  size  which  might  have  seemed 
unnecessary.  The  largest  share  of  space  has  been 
given  to  those  papers  which  relate  to  the  change  of 
doctrine  which  took  place  in  the  church  at  the  time  of 
the  settlement  of  Dr  Freeman ;  because  this  is  an 
event  which  has  been  exceedingly  misrepresented. 

Owing  to  the  residence  of  my  highly  respected  col- 
league, the  senior  minister  of  King's  Chapel,  at  the 
distance  of  some  miles  from  the  city,  I  have  been  al- 
most entirely  deprived  of  his  assistance  in  my  work,  — 
a  circumstance   which  I   cannot  but  greatly  regret. 


PREFACE.  IX 

From  several  gentlemen,  well  acquainted  with  the 
early  history  of  our  state,  I  have  derived  valuable 
information ;  and  with  regard  to  the  antiquities  of  the 
Chapel  in  particular,  I  am  so  much  indebted  to  the 
kindness  of  my  friend,  Col.  Joseph  May,  that  I  feel 
desirous  in  this  public  manner  to  return  him  my 
thanks. 

Boston,  Jan.  1,  1833. 


CONTENTS. 


HISTORY. 

Introduction.     Love  of  God's    House.     First  Epis- 
copal Controversies  in  New-England,         .  •  1 
Period  First.  Formation  of  the  First  Episcopal  Soci- 
ety.    Robert  Ratcliffe,  the  First  Rector,      .          .          15 

Period  Second.  From  the  Formation  of  the  First  Epis- 
copal Society  to  the  Building  of  the  First  Chapel,       .     33 

Period  Third.  From  the  arrival  of  Mr  Myles,  the  Se- 
cond Rector,  to  the  dismission  of  Mr  Bridge,  his  First 
Assistant,  .  50 

Period  Fourth.  Arrival  of  Mr  Harris.  Chapel  enlarg- 
ed. First  Organ.   Attempt  to  make  American  Bishops,    69 

Period  Fifth.  Death  of  Mr  Myles.  Arrival  of  Mr 
Price.     Increase  of  Episcopal  Churches,      . 

Period  Sixth.  Resignation  of  Mr  Price.  Settlement 
ofDrCaner.     Building  of  the  Stone  Chapel,         .         101 

Period  Seventh.  From  the  Erection  of  the  Stone 
Chapel  to  the  Present  Time,         .  •  .128 


Xii  CONTENTS. 


APPENDIX. 


I.  Curious  Extracts  from  the  Old  Records,  .     151 

II.  King's  Chapel  Library,  .  .  161 

III.  Address  of  the  Church  to  the  Bishop  of  London, 

in  favor  of  Governor  Dudley,         .  .         164 

IV.  Some  Papers  concerning  American  Bishops,        167 

V.  Address  of  the  Churches  at  Boston,   Newbury 

and  Marblehead  to  George  I.  on  his  Accession 
1714, 170 

VI.  Address  to  George  II.  on  his  Accession,  1727,      172 
VII.  Bishop  Gibson's  License  to  Mr  Price,         .         173 

VIIL  Inventory  of  Church  Furniture,  1733,     .         .     175 
IX.  Letters  relating  to  Mr  Davenport's  Settlement 

at  Trinity  Church,       ...  176 

X.  Address  to  Bishop  Sherlock,  .  .  178 

XL  Letter  to  Bishop  Provost,  and  his  Answer,      .     180 
XII.  Protest  against  Mr  Freeman's  Ordination,  and 

the  Answer  of  the  Wardens  thereto,         .        183 

XIII.  Ordination  of  the  Rev.  James  Freeman,       .        192 

XIV.  Dr  Belknap's  Remarks  on  Mr  Freeman's  Ordi- 

nation,        .....         195 
XV.  Clerical  Excommunication  of  Mr  Freeman,        197 
XVI.  Some  Notices  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Cary,     .         198 
XVII.  Inscriptions  on  the  three  Monuments  in  King's 

Chapel,        .  .  .  .204 

XVIII.  List  of  Ministers  of  King's  Chapel,  .  209 

XIX.  List  of  the  Wardens  of  King's  Chapel,        .       209 


INTRODUCTION 


LOVE  OF  GOD'S  HOUSE.  — FIRST  EPISCOPALIAN  CONTRO- 
VERSIES IN  NEW  ENGLAND. 


LORD,  I  HAVE  LOVED  THE  HABITATION  OF  THY  HOUSE, 
AND  THE  PLACE  WHERE  THINE  HONOR  DWELLETH.— 

Ps.  xxvi.  8. 

The  place  in  which  we  are  accustomed  to 
meet  together  for  the  worship  of  God,  and,  as  the 
sabbaths  and  the  seasons  roll  on,  to  unite  in  praise 
and  prayer  with  kindred  and  friends ;  the  place 
in  which  our  Saviour  is  commemorated,  our  child- 
ren are  baptized,  our  sorrows  find  their  consola- 
tion, and  our  cares  their  rest,  is  a  holy  place,  and 
one  which  we  well  may  love.  The  Jews  were 
devotedly  attached  to  their  temple ;  they  were 
deeply  impressed  with  the  idea  of  its  holiness  ; 
they  were  proud  of  its  rich  and  solemn  beauty. 
It  was  associated  in  their  minds  with  their  glory 
as  a  nation,  with  their  existence  as  a  favored  and 
separate  people.  This  attachment  grew  to  be 
excessive  ;  it  lost  the  spirituality  of  its  character  ; 
the  temple  was  admired  more  for  its  external 
form  than  for  its  sacred  uses ;  and  the  regard 
1 


INTRODUCTION 


which  was  paid  to  it  became  in  a  high  degree 
superstitious,  formal  and  exclusive.  While  we 
would  avoid  these  perversions  of  the  love  which 
they  entertained  for  their  sanctuary,  we  cannot 
help  sympathizing  with  the  sentiment  itself.  Nor 
is  it  desirable  that  we  should  struggle  against  a 
feeling  so  natural,  and,  if  well  regulated,  so  useful. 
Let  us  say  what  we  will  against  attachment  to 
particular  places,  it  is  one  which  nature  and  the 
operations  of  our  own  minds  will  always  oblige  us 
to  form.  Let  us  assert  as  we  may  that  one  place 
is  no  holier  than  another,  yet  will  holy  associa- 
tions continue  to  make  holy  places,  so  long  as 
religious  feeling  exists,  and  the  worship  of  God 
endures.  If  we  fully  receive  the  great  Christian 
principle,  that  God  must  be  worshipped  in  spirit 
and  in  truth,  we  are  completely  guarded  against 
an  undue  attachment  or  reverence  for  the  house 
in  which  he  is  worshipped ;  and  then  the  affec- 
tionate reverence  which  we  may  freely  cherish  for 
the  house,  will  even  aid  the  warmth  and  sincerity 
of  the  devotions  which  we  offer  therein  to  Him 
who  is  a  spirit. 

Such  are  my  own  feelings,  such  my  convictions. 
I  am  not  so  afraid  of  superstition  as  to  keep  up  a 
perpetual  war  with  my  heart.  I  love  the  place 
where  God's  honor  dwelleth  —  the  holy  place 
where  his  name  and  praise  are  publicly  acknow- 


INTRODUCTION.  3 

ledged,  and  the  majesty  of  his  presence  is  unitedly 
felt.  I  love,  more  especially,  this  house  in  which 
we  are  now  assembled.  My  associations  with  it 
are  many,  and  early,  and  sacred.  I  love  it  for 
the  beauty  of  its  construction,  for  the  memories 
with  which  it  is  filled,  for  its  connexion  with 
times  that  are  gone,  countenances  that  have  been 
changed,  and  friends  who  have  passed  away. 

It  is  this  love  which  has  prompted  me  to  inves- 
tigate the  history  of  our  church.  Some  who 
hear  me,  have  associations  with  it  very  similar  to 
my  own.  Some  have  known  it  much  longer 
than  I  have,  and  are  more  variously  connected 
with  it.  Its  history  includes  so  many  well  known 
names,  important  events,  and  changes  of  opinion, 
that  the  relation  of  it  will,  I  trust,  be  uninter- 
esting to  none. 

The  materials  of  this  narrative  will  be  chiefly 
derived  from  the  original  manuscript  records  of 
the  church  ;  but  I  have  also,  as  time  and  oppor- 
tunity permitted,  consulted  printed  histories  and 
documents. 

The  first  serious  and  organized  efforts  to  erect 
an  Episcopal  Church  in  Boston  were  made  in  the 
year  1686.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed,  however, 
that  there  had  not  been,  before  this  time,  and 
even  from  the  first  settlement  of  the  Massachusetts 


4  INTRODUCTION. 

colony,  some  who  disliked  the  religious  discipline 
and  forms  of  their  rigid  dissenting  neighbors,  and 
were  in  heart  members  of  the  church  of  England. 
William  Vassal,  who  came  over  with  Gov.  Win- 
throp,  in  1630,  and  was  one  of  his  assistants  in 
that  year,  was  perhaps  of  this  way  of  thinking.* 
As  the  colony  increased,  and  the  intercourse  with 
the  mother  country  was  enlarged,  many  must 
have  resorted  here,  either  temporarily,  or  for  per- 
manent settlement,  who  were  members  of  the 
English  establishment,  and  retained  their  attach- 
ment to  its  communion. 

In  1646  a  "  Remonstrance  and  Petition"  was 
sent  into  the  General  Court  by  Robert  Child  and 
six  others,  in  which,  after  stating  some  grievances 
of  a  civil  nature,  they  complained  "  that  they 
were  debarred  from  christian  privileges,  viz.  the 
Lord's  Supper  for  themselves,  and  baptism  for 
their  children,  unless  they  were  members  of  some 

*  The  Rev.  Mr  Deane,in  his  history  of  Scituate,  says  that 
President  Chauncy  suspected  Mr  Vassal  of  being  an  Episco- 
palian, but  that  there  is  no  evidence  to  prove  him  to  have 
been  so.  The  truth  is,  no  doubt,  that  he  was  a  gentleman 
of  high  and  honorable  feelings,  who  looked  with  contempt 
on  many  of  the  narrow  notions  of  the  day,  and  entertained 
just  ideas  on  the  great  subjects  of  religious  toleration  and 
liberty.  Being  such  a  one,  it  is  but  of  little  consequence 
whether  he  was  an  Episcopalian  or  not.  He  was  certainly 
not  a  riind  Puritan. 


INTRODUCTION.  5 

of  the  particular  churches  in  the  country,  though 
otherwise  sober,  righteous  and  godly,  and  eminent 
for  knowledge,  not  scandalous  in  life  and  conver- 
sation, and  members  of  churches  in  England. 
And  they  prayed  that  civil  liberty  and  freedom 
might  be  forthwith  granted  to  all  truly  English, 
and  that  all  members  of  the  church  of  England 
or  Scotland,  not  scandalous,  might  be  admitted  to 
die  privileges  of  the  churches  of  New  England  ; 
or,  if  these  civil  and  religious  liberties  were  re- 
fused, that  they  might  be  freed  from  the  heavy 
taxes  imposed  upon  them,  and  from  the  impresses 
made  of  them  or  their  children  or  servants  into 
the  war."  In  case  their  wishes  were  denied,  the 
petitioners  threatened  to  appeal  to  the  honorable 
houses  of  parliament,  who,  they  hoped,  would 
take  their  sad  condition  into  consideration,  procure 
able  ministers  for  them,  "  this  place  not  being  so 
well  provided  as  to  spare  any,"  or  else  transport 
them  to  some  other  place,  where  they  might  live 
like  Christians,  and  not  be  accounted  burthens, 
but  serviceable  both  to  church  and  state.  On 
the  other  hand,  they  hope,  should  their  requests 
be  granted,  to  see  the  now  contemned  ordinances 
of  God  highly  prized,  the  gospel  much  darkened, 
break  forth  as  the  sun  at  noon  day,  christian 
charity  and  brotherly  love,  almost  frozen,  wax 
warm,  jealousy  of  arbitrary  government  (the  bane 


6  INTRODUCTION. 

of  all  commonwealths)  quite  banished,  and  many 
other  blessings  and  advantages  as  the  consequen- 
ces of  the  reformation  which  they  proposed. 

This  bold  and  irritating  remonstrance*  pro- 
duced a  great  excitement  and  disturbance  at  the 
time,  and  was  answered  f  in  the  same  year  by  the 
court,  four  months  after  it  was  presented,  who 
condescended  to  enter  into  a  long  argument  with 
the  petitioners,  and  treated  them  with  still  less 
ceremony  than  they  had  themselves  received. 
They  examine,  in  a  contemptuous  manner,  the 
characters  and  pretensions  of  the  seven  petition- 
ers.;]; "  And  these  are  the  champions,"  say  they, 
"  who  must  represent  the  body  of  non-freemen. 
If  this  be  their  head,  sure  they  have  an  unsavoury 
head,  not  to  be  seasoned  with  much  salt."  They 
reply,  according  to  their  own  notions  of  church 
order  and  membership,  to  the  application  for 
church  privileges,  and  then  refresh  the  memory 
of  the  petitioners  with  a  reference  to  the  recent 
case  of  another  company  of  remonstrants,  mean- 
ing Roger  Williams  and  his  friends,  who  not  ob- 
taining their  desire,  had  removed  to  Rhode  Island, 
where  they  presently  fell  at  variance  among  them- 

*  Printed  in  Hutch.  Col.  Pa.  p.  188. 
t  Also  in  Hutch.  Col.  Pa.  p.  196. 

\  Robert    Child,  Thomas   Burton,  John    Smith,  Thomas 
Fowle,  David  Yale,  Samuel  Maverick,  John  Dand. 


INTRODUCTION.  7 

selves,  and  instead  of  establishing  church  and  civil 
state,  had  overthrown  both.  "  Such  peace, 
unity,  prosperity,  &c,"  say  the  General  Court  in 
conclusion,  "  is  that  which  we  may  expect,  if  we 
will  cast  off  the  rules  of  God's  word,  the  civil 
prudence  of  all  nations,  and  our  own  observation 
of  the  fruit  of  other  men's  follies,  and  hearken  to 
the  counsell  of  these  new  statesmen.  From 
which  the  Lord  deliver  us,  and  all  the  seed  of 
Israel  to  the  coming  of  Christ  Jesus.     Amen." 

The  end  of  this  matter  was,  that  the  petitioners 
were  fined  for  contemptuous  and  seditious  expres- 
sions, on  their  refusing  to  acknowledge  their  of- 
fence, and  their  papers,  among  which  was  a  peti- 
tion addressed  to  the  commissioners  for  plantations 
in  England,  were  seized. 

Such  was  the  first  Episcopalian  controversy,  as 
it  may  be  called,  on  these  shores,  and  such  is  a 
specimen  of  our  forefathers'  yet  imperfect  notions 
of  religious  liberty. 

In  1662,  soon  after  the  downfall  of  the  Com- 
monwealth and  the  accession  of  Charles  II.  who 
was  proclaimed  in  London,  May  29,  1660,  a 
letter  from  that  monarch  to  the  colony  was  re- 
ceived, which  on  the  whole  was  cheering  to  the 
people  and  their  governors,  as  it  was  kinder  to 
them,  and  more  respectful  to  their  charter  and 
liberties,  than  they  had  reason  to  expect.     Some 


8  INTRODUCTION. 

things  in  it,  however,  were  less  relished,  as  they 
touched  the  sore  point  of  their  ecclesiastical  pecu- 
liarities and  prejudices.  The  king  required  that 
their  laws  should.be  reviewed,  that  the  oath  of 
allegiance  should  be  duly  administered,  that  the 
administration  of  justice  should  be  in  his  name, 
"  that  freedom  and  liberty  should  be  duly  admitted 
and  allowed  to  all  such  as  desired  to  use  the  book 
of  Common  Prayer,  and  perform  the  devotions  in 
the  manner  established  in  England,  and  that  they 
might  not  undergo  any  prejudice  or  disadvantage 
thereby,  they  using  their  liberty  peaceably  with- 
out disturbance  to  others  ;  that  all  persons  of 
good  and  honest  lives  and  conversations  should  be 
admitted  to  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper, 
according  to  the  said  book  of  Common  Prayer, 
and  their  children  to  baptism  ;  that  in  the  choice 
of  governor  and  assistants  the  only  consideration 
to  be  had  should  be  of  the  wisdom,  virtue  and 
integrity  of  the  persons  to  be  chosen,  and  not  of 
any  faction  with  reference  to  opinions  and  outward 
profession ;  that  all  freeholders  of  competent 
estates,  not  vicious  in  conversation,  and  orthodox 
in  religion,  though  of  different  persuasions  con- 
cerning church  government,  should  have  their 
votes  in  the  election  of  all  officers,  both  civil  and 
military."* 

*  Mass.  Hist.  Col.  2d  S.  vol.  viii.  p.  52. 


INTRODUCTION.  V 

The  Boston  agents,  by  whom  this  letter  was 
brought  over,  were  Simon  Bradstreet,  one  of  the 
magistrates,  and  John  Norton,  one  of  the  minis- 
ters of  the  First  Church.  As  soon  as  their  con- 
stituents had  given  expression  to  the  first  emotions 
of  joy  at  having  been  no  more  severely  dealt 
with,  they  began  to  murmur  at  the  obnoxious 
parts  of  the  letter,  and  charge  them  as  faults 
on  the  poor  agents.  Although  these  gentlemen 
were  so  hailed  on  their  return,  that  the  court  or- 
dered a  public  thanksgiving  partly  on  account  of 
it,  as  well  as  for  the  "  continuance  of  the  mercies 
of  peace,  liberties,  and  the  gospel,"  they  were 
afterward  so  neglected  and  even  reviled,  that  the 
sudden  death  of  Mr  Norton  by  apoplexy  the 
next  year  was  attributed  to  the  distressed  and 
melancholy  state  of  his  mind  which  this  treatment 
occasioned.  "  The  agents,"  observes  Gov. 
Hutchinson  with  truth  and  sagacity,  "  met  with 
the  fate  of  most  agents  ever  since.  The  favors 
they  had  obtained  were  supposed  to  be  no  more 
than  might  well  have  been  expected,  and  their 
merits  were  soon  forgot;  the  evils  which  they 
had  it  not  in  their  power  to  prevent  were  attribu- 
ted to  their  neglect  or  unnecessary  concessions."* 

The  authorities  of  the  colony  here,  being  very 

-Hutch.  Hist.  1.  222. 


10  INTRODUCTION. 

slow  in  complying  with  those  requisitions  of  the 
king's  letter  which  did  not  suit  them,  he  sent  four 
commissioners,*  with  powers  to  hear  and  determine 
all  matters  of  complaint,  and  to  settle  the  peace 
and  security  of  the  country,  who  arrived  in  July, 
1664.  One  of  these  commissioners  was  Samuel 
Maverick,  Esq.  a  son  of  the  Samuel  Maverick  who 
joined  in  the  "  remonstrance  and  petition  "  of  1646 
mentioned  above.  Like  his  father  he  was  an 
Episcopalian,  and  like  him  probably  entertained 
not  the  most  kindly  feelings  toward  his  fellow 
colonists  .f  Among  the  instructions  of  these 
commissioners,  was  one  directing  them  to  inquire 
how  far  the  requisitions  of  the  king's  letter  of 
1662  had  been  complied  with.  The  third  requi- 
sition is  thus  re-stated ;  "  that  such  as  desire  to 
use  the  book  of  common  prayer,  be  permitted  so 
to  do  without  incurring  any  penalty,  reproach  or 
disadvantage,  it  being  very  scandalous  that  any 
persons  should  be  debarred  the  exercise  of  their 
religion  according  to  the  laws  and  customs  of  Eng- 
land, by  those  who  were  indulged  with  the  liberty 
of  being  of  what  profession  or  religion  they  pleas- 

*  The  commissioners  were  Col.  Richard  Nichols,  George 
Cartwright,  Sir  Robert  Carr,  and  Samuel  Maverick.  The 
two  former  arrived  at  Boston,  the  two  latter  at  Piscataqua, 
about  the  same  time. 

1  Both  the  Mavericks  are  mentioned  in  Eliot's  Biog.  Diet. 


INTRODUCTION.  11 

ed."  It  sounds  strange  to  hear  Charles  II.  read- 
ing a  lesson  on  religious  freedom  to  the  pilgrims ; 
but  it  was  a  good  lesson,  though  delivered  in  an 
arrogant  style,  and  by  a  profligate  tyrant. 

It  was  with  some  difficulty  that  the  general 
court  were  brought  to  answer  at  all  to  an  authority 
not  recognised  in  their  charter,  but  at  length  they 
did  so  to  each  instruction,  more  or  less  explicitly. 
With  regard  to  the  king's  letter  they  say,  that 
they  had  endeavored  formerly  to  satisfy  his  ex- 
pectations, and  now  farther  say  that  touching  the 
oath  of  allegiance,  they  had  ordered  it  to  be 
taken,  in  that  form  prescribed  by  the  cohny  Jau\ 
by  all  freemen  and  other  householders ;  and  that 
touching  civil  liberties,  they  observed  the  qualifi- 
cations mentioned  in  his  majesty's  letter  ;  "  and 
as  to  ecclesiastical  privileges  they  had  commended 
to  the  ministry  and  people  here  the  word  of  the 
Lord  for  their  rule."*  This  last  answer  was 
plainly  evasive,  or  rather  it  was  an  absolute  refusal 
to  be  dictated  to  in  religious  matters.  Our  fathers 
could  dictate  very  well,  but  they  could  not  so  well 
endure  dictation. 

In  reply,  the  commissioners  say,  "  The  end  of 
the  first  planters  coming  hither  was,  as  the  court 
expressed  in  their  address,  1660,  the  enjoyment  of 

*  Hutch.  Hist.  1.  243. 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

the  liberty  of  your  own  consciences  ;  we  therefore 
admire  that  you  should  deny  the  liberty  of  con- 
science to  any,  especially  where  the  king  requires 
it ;  and  that  upon  a  vain  conceit  of  your  own, 
that  it  will  disturb  your  enjoyments,  which  the 
king  often  hath  said  it  shall  not.  Though  you 
commend  to  the  ministers  and  people  the  word  of 
the  Lord  for  their  rule,  yet  you  did  it  with  a  pro- 
viso, that  they  have  the  approbation  of  the  court ; 
and  we  have  great  reason  both  to  think  and  say, 
that  the  king  and  his  council  and  the  church  of 
England  understand  and  follow  the  rules  in  God's 
word  as  much  as  this  corporation."  Finally  they 
advise  them,  for  fear  of  consequences,  to  "  an  inge- 
nious and  free  consent  to  what  the  king  desired."* 
But  "  an  ingenious  and  free  consent,"  it  was 
not  the  purpose  of  the  Massachusetts  corporation 
to  give.  The  commissioners  were  foiled  and  re- 
turned to  their  master.  Charles  had  so  many 
affairs  to  attend  to  at  home,  that  the  colony  re- 
mained untroubled  for  some  years,  or  not  seriously 
troubled;!  but  in  1683  he  sent  Edward  Randolph  J 

*  Mass.  Hist.  Col.  2d  S.  vol.  viii.  p.  76. 

t  The  subject  of  the  common  prayer,  &c,  continued,  how- 
ever, to  be  pressed  from  time  to  time.  See  Hutch.  Col.  Pa. 
p.  520. 

t  Randolph  first  came  to  Boston  in  1676.  "  After  a  tedious 
passage  of  10  weeks,  arrived  at  Boston  on  10th  June." — 
His  letter  to  the  king.     Hutch.  Col.  Pa.  p.  503.     In  1673 


INTRODUCTION.  13 

with  a  quo  warranto  against  their  charter,  which 
the  following  year  was  taken  away.  In  1685, 
Feb.  6,  Charles  died.  His  successor,  James  II. 
was  proclaimed  in  Boston,  in  April  of  the  same 
year.  On  the  15th  of  May,  1636,  the  Rose  fri- 
gate arrived  from  England  with  a  commission  to 
Mr  Joseph  Dudley  as  president  of  Massachusetts 
and  the  colonies  north  of  it,  and  to  other  gentle- 
men to  constitute  his  council ;  and  in  the  same 
frigate  came  Mr  Robert  RatclifFe,  the  first  Epis- 

Randolph  came  over  again,  having  been  to  England  in  the 
interim.  He  was  in  England  again  in  1679,  and  returned  the 
latter  part  of  the  same  year.  He  went  home  again  the  next 
winter,  and  returned  in  1681,  bringing  with  him  his  com- 
mission from  the  crown  constituting  him  collector  and  sur- 
veyor and  searcher  of  the  customs  in  New  England.  Hutch. 
Hist.  1.  330.  We  find  Randolph  in  England  again,  Feb. 
1681.  lb.  335.  He  arrived  with  the  quo  warranto,  in  Oct. 
16S3  ;  having  come,  however,  to  Boston,  and  gone  back  to 
England  between  these  two  years.  lb.  336. 

Since  writing  the  above,  I  have  seen  a  MS.  of  four  pages, 
lately  presented  to  the  Mass.  Hist.  Soc.  being  Randolph's 
own  account  of  his  voyages  to  and  from  England.  The  re- 
cital is  brief,  consisting  of  little  else  beside  dates  ;  but  a  fact 
or  two  like  the  following,  which  he  records,  mark  the  kind 
of  people  he  had  to  deal  with. 

"  17  December,  1681.  I  arrived  againe  att  Boston  in 
New  England,  with  his  Majesty's  Commission,  appointing 
me  Collector,  &ca.  But  that  commission  is  opposed,  being 
looked  upon  as  an  encroachment  on  their  Charter.  A  Law 
revived  by  the  assembly  to  trye  me  for  my  life,  for  acting 
by  his  Majesty's  Commission  before  it  was  allowed  of  by 
them. 


14  INTRODUCTION. 

copal    minister  of  Boston,  and  indeed  of  New 
England. 

I  find  that  I  have  completed  the  limits  of  a 
discourse,  without  coming  even  to  the  building  of 
the  wooden  church  which  the  Episcopalians  first 
erected  on  this  spot.  The  early  history  of  our 
church  is,  however,  the  history  of  the  introduction 
of  episcopacy  among  those  who  fled  from  it  and 
hated  it.  As  such  it  possesses  a  peculiar  interest 
and  value.  There  is  another  light  in  which  it  is 
more  interesting  still,  which  is  its  connexion  with 
the  great  history  of  religious  liberty.  The 
thoughtful  observer  will  mark  the  strange  pro- 
cesses by  which  the  human  mind  is  often  forced 
to  the  most  simple  and  excellent  conclusions. 
He  will  see  arbitrary  power  from  the  mother 
country,  contending  against  arbitrary  power  here, 
and  the  result  of  these  conflicting  and  angry  au- 
thorities to  be  toleration,  liberty  and  peace. 


PERIOD   FIRST. 

FORMATION  OF  THE  FIRST  EPISCOPAL  SOCIETY. 
ROBERT  RATCLIFFE,  THE  FIRST  RECTOR. 


BUT    THE    FOUNDATION    OF  THE    TEMPLE    OF    THE    LORD  WAS 

not  YET  laid. — Ezra  iii.  6. 

The  "  Rose  frigate  "  must  have  seemed  to  the 
greater  part  of  the  Bostonians,  or  Bostoneers,  as 
Randolph  called  them,  freighted  heavily  with 
wo,  bearing  as  it  did  the  Rev.  Robert  Ratcliffe, 
of  the  church  of  England,  with  his  surplice,  and 
his  book  of  Common  Prayer  ;  to  say  nothing  of  the 
commission  which  appointed  a  president  over 
them,  by  the  king's  sole  authority.  It  was  as 
new  to  them,  and  as  disagreeable,  to  have  in 
their  midst  a  settled  clergyman  of  that  church,  as 
it  wras  to  see  at  their  head  a  ruler  not  of  their 
own  choosing.  "  There  had  been  very  few  in- 
stances of  even  occasional  assemblies  for  religious 
worship  according  to  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of 
the  church  of  England  for  more  than  fifty  years. 


16  PERIOD  FIRST. 

When  the  commissioners  from  King  Charles  were 
at  Boston  in  1665,  they  had  a  chaplain  with  them, 
but  there  was  no  house  for  public  worship.  Most 
of  the  inhabitants  who  were  upon  the  stage  in 
16S6,  had  never  seen  a  church  of  England  assem- 
bly."* The  time  was  now  come  for  the  strange 
sight  to  be  exhibited,  and  for  the  members  of  the 
episcopal  communion  to  rally  under  the  counte- 
nance and  influence  of  the  royal  government.  It 
should  be  stated,  too,  that  the  general  court  had 
declared  in  1677,  that  no  persons  should  be  hin- 
dered from  performing  divine  service  according 
to  the  church  of  England.^  The  way  therefore 
appeared  to  lay  smooth  and  open  for  the  Episco- 
palians to  introduce  their  forms  of  worship  and 
government. 

As  Randolph  had  the  chief  hand  in  overturning 
the  old  charter  of  the  colony,  so  was  he  most 
active  and  efficient  in  establishing  an  Episcopalian 
church  here,  and  procuring  the  services  of  a  cler- 
gyman from  England.  For  the  former  purpose 
he  had  acted  as  a  constant  spy  upon  the  colonists, 
and  had  been  backwards  and  forwards  between 
the  two  countries  ten  or  eleven  times  in  as  many 
years.  He  was  indeed,  as  Hutchinson  says, 
"  incessant."  For  the  latter  purpose,  the  build- 
ing up  of  episcopacy,  he  was  diligently  employed 
in  moving  the  ecclesiastical  dignitaries  at  home, 

*  Hutch.  Hist.  1.353  t  Ibid. 


PERIOD   FIRST.  17 

as  will  appear  by  his  letters  preserved  in  Hutch- 
inson's Collection  of  Papers.  In  a  letter  to  the 
Bishop  of  London,  dated,  Boston,  July  14th, 
1682,*  he  urges  both  of  these  objects.  "  Nothing 
will  so  effectually  settle  this  government  on  a 
firm  dependence  upon  the  crown,"  he  says,  "  as 
bringing  a  quo  ivarranto  against  then  charter, 
which  will  wholly  disenable  many,  now  great 
sticklers  and  promoters  of  the  faction  among  us, 
from  acting  further  in  a  public  station."  With 
regard  to  the  church  he  says,  "  We  have  advice 
by  Capt.  Barrett,  now  arrived  from  London,  that 
your  lordship  hath  remembered  us,  and  sent  over 
a  minister  with  Mr  Cranfield ;  the  very  report 
hath  given  great  satisfaction  to  many  hundreds 
whose  children  are  not  baptized,  and  to  as  many 
who  never,  since  they  came  out  of  England,  re- 
ceived the  sacrament."  And  again  ;  "  If  we  are 
misinformed  concerning  your  lordship's  sending 
over  a  minister,  be  pleased  to  commiserate  our 
condition  and  send  us  over  a  sober  discreet  gen- 
tleman. Your  lordship  hath  now  good  security, 
as  long  as  their  agents  f  are  in  England,  for  his 
civil  treatment  by  the  contrary  party  ;  he  will  be 
received  by  all  honest  men  with  hearty  christian 
respects  and  kindness,  and  if  his  majesty's  laws 

*  Hutch.  Col.  Pa.  p.  538.  t  Dodley  and  Richards. 

2 


18  PERIOD   FIRST. 

(as  none  but  fanatics  question)  be  of  force  with 
us,  we  could  raise  a  sufficient  maintenance  for 
divers  ministers  out  of  the  estates  of  those  whose 
treasons  have  forfeited  them  to  his  majesty." 

In  a  previous  letter  to  the  bishop,  elated  May 
29th  of  the  same  year,  Randolph  had  given  sim- 
ilar assurances  of  the  safety  of  any  clergyman 
who  might  be  sent  over.  "  Your  lordship  hath  a 
great  pledge  for  such  ministers  as  your  lordship 
shall  think  convenient  to  send  over,  for  their  civil 
treatment,  and  I  think  no  person  fitter  than  Major 
Dudley,*  their  agent,  to  accompany  them,  who 
will  be  very  careful  to  have  them  settled  as  or- 
dered in  England."  He  had  also  spoken  of  the 
feasible  means  of  maintaining  such  clergymen. 

*  Dudley's  character  is  well  hit  off  by  Randolph  in  this 
tsdme  letter.  "  Major  Dudley  is  a  great  opposer  of  the  fac- 
tion heere,  against  which  I  have  now  articled  to  his  majesty, 
who,  if  he  finds  things  resolutely  maniged,  will  cringe  and 
bow  to  anything.  He  hath  bis  fortune  to  make  in  the  world, 
and  if  his  majesty,  upon  alteration  of  the  government,  make 
him  captain  of  the  castle  of  Boston  and  the  forts  in  the  collo- 
ney,  his  majesty  will  gain  a  popular  man,  and  obleidge  the 
better  party."  Of  Richards,  the  other  agent,  he  writes,  ':  As 
for  Capt.  Richards,  he  is  one  of  the  faction,  a  man  of  mean 
extraction,  coming  over  a  poore  servant,  as  most  of  the  faction 
were  at  their  first  planting  heere,  but  by  extraordinary  feats 
and  coussinadge  have  gott  them  great  estates  in  land,  espe- 
cially Danford,  so  that  if  his  majesty  doe  fine  them  suffi- 
ciently, and  well  if  they  escape  soe,  they  can  goe  to  worke 
for  more."  Randolph  likens  the  two  agents  to  the  two 
consuls  of  Rome,  Cxsar  and  Bibulus. 


PERIOD   FIRST.  19 

u  In  my  attendance  on  your  lordship,  I  often 
expressed  that  some  able  ministers  might  be 
appointed  to  perform  the  offices  of  the  church 
with  us.  The  main  obstacle  was  how  they  should 
be  maintained.  I  did  formerly,  and  do  now  pro- 
pose, that  a  part  of  that  money  sent  over  hither, 
and  pretended  to  be  expended  among  the  Indians, 
may  be  ordered  to  go  towards  that  charge." 
And  again  he  says,  "  My  Lord,  your  goodness 
and  readiness  to  serve  his  majesty  in  the  settle- 
ment of  this  great  plantation,  invites  me,  upon  all 
occasions,  to  interpose  your  lordship's  more 
weighty  affairs,  but  since  we  are  here  immediately 
under  your  lordship's  care,  I  with  more  freedom 
press  for  able  and  sober  ministers,  and  we  will 
contribute  largely  to  their  maintenance  ;  but  one 
thing  will  mainly  help,  when  no  marriages  here- 
after shall  be  allowed  lawful  but  such  as  are  made 
by  the  ministers  of  the  church  of  England." 

The  length  and  number  of  the  above  extracts 
will  be  pardoned,  on  account  of  the  strong  light 
which  they  throw  on  the  movements  of  the  party 
who  were  now  arraying  themselves  so  boldly 
against  the  old  puritanical  influence  of  the  colony  ; 
and  particularly  on  the  views  and  character  of 
Edward  Randolph,  who  may  be  called  the  head 
of  that  party.  We  see  what  lofty  ideas  of  the 
royal  prerogative  he  entertained,  in  his  proposing 


20  PERIOD   FIRST. 

to  destroy  the  ancient  civil  rights  of  the  colony 
by  taking  away  their  charter,  and  setting  over 
them  a  governor  appointed  by  the  crown.  And 
we  see-  that  his  notions  of  the  English  Church 
were  no  less  lofty,  in  his  suggestions  that  not  one 
clergyman  only  of  the  church,  but  several  might 
be  maintained,  by  the  high-handed  methods  of 
diverting  the  funds  of  the  "  Society  for  propagating 
the  Gospel  among  the  Indians  "  to  their  support, 
and  of  applying  confiscated  estates  and  all  mar- 
riage fees  to  the  same  use.  But  in  the  whole  of 
this  arbitrary  course  I  can  easily  conceive  that  he 
was  actuated  by  a  sense  of  duty  towards  his  sove- 
reign, who  was  also  the  sovereign  of  these  colo- 
nies, and  who,  Randolph  might  well  imagine,  was 
not  treated  here  with  the  deference  and  obedience 
which  were  his  due.  He  considered  that  the 
Bostonians  were  stiff-necked,  refractory  and  re- 
bellious, and  that  he  ought  to  curb  and  turn  their 
spirit.  They,  on  the  other  hand,  looked  upon 
him  as  the  myrmidon  of  a  tyrant  and  a  hateful 
spy,  and  said  that  "  he  went  up  and  down  seek- 
ing to  devour  them."*  He  despised  their  prim 
and  exclusive  Congregationalism,  and  they  abom- 
inated his  stately  and  formal  episcopacy.  He 
was  arbitrary  after  his  fashion,  and  they  were  so 

*  Hutch.  Hist.  1.  319. 


PERIOD   FIRST. 


21 


after  theirs.  If  he  had  not  been  excited  by  their 
inveterate  opposition  to  what  he  deemed  alone 
true  and  venerable,  he  probably  would  not  have 
troubled  them  as  much  as  he  did.  If  they  had 
not  been  too  weak  at  that  time  to  resist  the 
royal  power,  they  would  not  have  borne  his  arro- 
gant interference  for  a  day. 

We  have  seen  that  Randolph  carried  his  two 
great  ends,  the  destruction  of  the  original  Massa- 
chusetts charter,  and  the  importation  and  intro- 
duction of  an  Episcopal  clergyman. 

On  the  15th  of  May,  1686,  as  I  have  before 
stated,  arrived  the  Rose  frigate,  commanded  by 
Captain  George.  On  the  25th,  Dudley  entered 
on  the  duties  of  his  temporary  presidency.*  On 
the  26th,  Mr  Ratcliffe  waited  on  the  council, 
and  Mr  Mason  and  Randolph  proposed  that  he 
should  have  one  of  the  three  congregational  meet- 
ing-houses to  preach  in.  This  was  denied,  but 
he  was  granted  the  use  of  the  library  room  in  the 
east  end  of  the  town  house,  which  then  stood 
where  the  Old  State  House,  or,  as  its  present 
name  is,  the  City  Hall,  now  stands. 

But  the  formation  of  the  First  Episcopal  Soci- 
ety is  to  be  dated  from  the  15th  of  June,  same 
year,  on  which  day  the  records  of  the  church 

♦See  Hutch.  Hist.  1.343.  and  extracts  from  Se wall's 
MS.  Diary,  in  Wisner's  History  of  the  Old  South,  note  27. 


22  PERIOD   FIRST. 

commence.  The  first  page  of  this  valuable  man- 
uscript *  I  shall  now  quote  entire,  as  it  comes  in 
order  in  the  narrative,  and  gives  an  account  of 
the  original  steps  taken  by  the  society,  as  briefly 
as  they  could  well  be  stated,  besides  informing  us 
who  the  founders  of  the  church  were. 

"  Boston  in  JV.  England.     June  15th,  1686. 

"  At  a  meeteing,  wherein  were  present  the  Gent, 
following  —  vizt.  Mr  Ratcliffe,  our  minister. 
Edward  Randolph,  Esq.  one  of  his  majestie's 
councell.  Captaine  Lydgett.  Mr  Luscomb. 
Mr  White.  Mr  Maccartie.  Mr  Ravenscroft. 
Doctor  Clerke.  Mr  Turfery.  Mr  Bankes. 
Doctor  Bullivant. 

"  Agreed.  That  every  Sabbath  day  after 
evening  sermon,  shall  be  made  a  publique  collec- 
tion by  the  churchwardens  for  the  time  being  for 

*  It  is  a  folio  volume,  bound  in  parchment,  and  bears  the 
following  as  its  title  page  ;  "  Boston  in  New  England,  Anno 
Domini,  1686.  An  entry  booke,  of  all  such  meetings,  agree- 
ments, and  other  matters,  proper  to  be  recognized,  had,  and 
done  from  time,  to  time ;  by  the  members  of  the  church  of 
England,  as  by  law  established,  under  the  gracious  influen- 
ces of  the  most  illustrious  Prince  our  Sovereign  Lord,  James 
the  2d.  By  the  Grace  of  God,  of  England,  Scotland,  France, 
and  Ireland  king,  defendourof  the  faith  &c.  —  Anno  Dom- 
ini, 1686,  and  in  the  2d  yeare  of  his  said  Majestie's  Reign,  at 
Boston  within  his  said  Majestie's  territory,  and  Dominion  of 
New  England  in  America." 


PERIOD   FIRST 


the  servise  of  the  church,,  and  to  be  continued 
untill  some  publique  and  settled  provision  be  made 
for  the  same.* 

"Agreed.  That  Doctor  Benjamin  Bullivant, 
and  Mr  Richard  Bankes,  are  elected  churchwar- 
dens, and  to  continue  untill  Easter  next. 

"  Agreed.  That  Edward  Randolph,  Esq.  Capt. 
Lydgett,  Mr  Luscomb  and  Dr  Bullivant,  with 
our  minister,  should  wayte  on  the  President  and 
Councell  to  treate  about  our  church  affaires. 

•■  Agreed.  That  an  humble  addresse  be  made 
to  hisMajestie,  and  to  be  signed  by  the  gentlemen 
as  above-named,  to  implore  his  Majestie's  favour 
to  our  church,  and  it  is  consented  that  all  other 
true  sons  of  the  church  of  England,  may  join  with 
us  in  the  same. 

"  Agreed.  That  in  the  same  method,  a  letter 
be  sent  to  the  Right  Reverend  father  in  God, 
the  Lord  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and  one 
other  to  the  Reverend  father  in  God,  the  Lord 
Bishop  of  London,  to  implore  those  prelates  favour 
towards  our  church. 

*  The  first  recorded  collection  is  on  June  20, 16S6,ainount- 
ing  to  £3  lis.  Qd.  and  the  account  is  regularly  kept  from  this 
time  forwards.  On  the  22d  of  October,  same  year,  the  bal- 
ance of  the  collections  made  up  to  that  time,  remaining  from 
necessary  expenses,  is  ordered  to  be  paid  to  Mr  Ratcliffe. 
The  whole  amount  of  collections  was  £48  8s.  4cZ.  Expenses 
£19  14s.  6d.  Paid  Mr  Ratcliffe  £28  13s.  lOd.  Mr  Ratcliffe's 
receipts  for  this  sum  in  two  several  payments  are  given. 


24  PERIOD   FIRST. 

"  Agreed.  That  Mr  Smith  the  Joyner  do  make 
12  formes,  for  the  servise  of  the  church,  for  each 
of  which  he  shall  be  paid  As.  Sd. 

"  Agreed.  With  the  said  Mr  Smith  the  Joy- 
ner, that  this  church  will  pay  and  allow  unto  him 
20s.  quarterlie,  and  every  quarter,  for  and  in  con- 
sideration of  his  cleaneing,  placeing,  and  remove- 
ing  the  Pulpit,  formes,  table  &cc,  and  dooing 
ail  other  things  which  shall  be  convenient  and 
necessary  in  our  place  of  publique  Assembling." 

The  accommodations  provided  for  and  referred 
to  in  the  two  last  votes,  were  intended  to  furnish 
the  library  room  in  the  town  house  in  a  decent 
manner  for  the  performance  of  divine  service. 
This  was  truly  an  humble  beginning  for  those 
who  made  such  high  pretensions  as  did  these 
zealous  royalists  and  churchmen.  As  they  as- 
sembled in  the  east  end  of  the  town  house,  and 
looked  round  on  their  twelve  forms  and  their 
movable  pulpit,  they  must  have  felt  the  contrast 
between  such  a  tabernacle  and  the  solemn  old 
cathedrals  at  home ;  and  have  felt  too  that  they 
were  among  a  people,  who,  though  of  the  same 
blood  with  themselves,  were  strangers  to  their 
mode  of  faith  and  worship,  despising  what  they 
esteemed  most  sacred,  and  setting  at  nought  the 
power  which  they  deemed  unquestionable.  It  is 
hardly  to  be  supposed  that  these  feelings  were 


PERIOD   FIRST.  25 

calculated  to  conciliate  them  toward  the  congre- 
gationalists,  or  that  the  condition  in  which  they 
found  themselves  was  favorable  at  the  time  to 
their  growth  in  christian  humility  or  charity  ;  for 
truths  taught  by  experience  are  learned  slowly. 
That  they  even  had  the  town  house  for  their 
worship,  is,  however,  a  proof  that  the  colonists 
were  to  a  very  considerable  degree  overawed  and 
restrained,  by  the  attitude  which  the  mother  coun- 
try assumed  towards  them. 

The  second  recorded  meeting  of  the  church- 
men took  place  on  the  4th  of  July,  still  the  same 
year.*  At  this  meeting  it  was  agreed  to  pay  Mr 
Ratcliffe  fifty  pounds  per  annum  salary,  beside 
what  the  council  might  think  fit  to  settle  on  him  ; 
and  that  if  Mr  Buckley,  the  chaplain  of  the  Rose, 
should  please  to  assist  Mr  Ratcliffe,  lie  should 
"  receive  for  his  paynes  205.  a  weeke."  It  was 
also  agreed  that  "  a  sober  and  fitt  person  be 
sought  after  for  a  clarke,"  and  that  there  should 
be  a  Sacrament  on  the  second  Sabbath  of  the 
month.  But  the  most  important  vote  was  the  fol- 
lowing ;  "  Agreed.  That  the  councell  be  addressed 
unto,  to  give  us  libertie  and  authority  by  a  briefe, 
to  passe  through  the  whole  territory  of  his  majes- 

*  Beside  those  persons  who  attended  the  first  meeting, 
there  were  present  at  this,  Mr  Proctour,  Mr  Steph.  "Wissen- 
dunke,  Mr  Thomas  Brindley,  and  Mr  Mallett. 


26  PERIOD   FIRST. 

tie  in  New  England,  and  therein  to  collect  and 
receive  all  such  voluntary  donations  as  all 
persons  whatsoever  shall  be  disposed  to  give 
us,  for  and  towards  the  building  of  a  church  in 
Boston,  to  be  erected  for  the  servise  of  God, 
and  for  the  use  of  the  church  of  England  as  per 
law  established."  The  liberty  and  authority 
applied  for  according  to  this  vote,  were  probably 
granted,  as  a  list  is  given  in  the  records  of  a  num- 
ber of  persons  who  furnished  donations,  which  I 
shall  more  particularly  notice  presently.  We 
find  by  the  succeeding  and  last  vote  at  this  second 
meeting,  that  worship  was  still  performed  in  the 
town  house,  not  only  on  the  Sabbath,  but  on 
Wednesdays  and  Fridays.  "Agreed.  That  the 
prayers  of  the  church  be  said  every  Wednesday 
and  Friday  in  the  yeare,  (for  the  present,  in  the 
Library  chamber  in  the  town-house  in  Boston,) 
and  in  the  Summer  Season  to  beginne  at  7  of  the 
clock  in  the  morning,  and  in  the  winter  season,  at 
9  of  the  clock  in  the  forenoon." 

Of  Mr  Ratcliffe,  and  his  service  in  the  town 
house,  there  is  a  brief  notice  in  the  journal  of 
John  Dunton,  a  bookseller  of  London,  a  singular 
character,  who  came  to  Boston  in  the  year  1686, 
in  order  to  secure  a  debt  for  books,  as  also  to  dis- 
pose of  a  cargo  of  the  same  article,  and  who 
arrived  here  in  March,  after  a  passage  of  more 


PERIOD   FIRST.  27 

than  four  months.*  He  says,  "  About  this  time 
arrived  the  Rose  frigot  from  England  with  a  new 
charter,  procured  by  one  Randal,  which  gave 
major  Dudley  the  title  of  president,  and  the  ma- 
gistrates were  now  changed  into  counsellors. 
Parson  Ratcliffe  came  over  with  the  charter,  and 
on  Lord's  days  read  the  Common  Prayer  in  his 
surplice,  and  preached  in  the  Townhouse.  Mr 
Ratcliffe  was  an  eminent  preacher,  and  his  ser- 
mons were  useful  and  well  dressed ;  I  was  once 
or  twice  to  hear  him,  and  it  was  noised  about  that 
Dr  Annesly's  son-in-law  [himself]  was  turned 
apostate.  But  I  could  easily  forgive  'em,  in  re- 
gard the  common  prayer  and  the  surplice  were 
religious  novelties  in  New  England." 

This  account  of  Mr  Ratcliffe  as  a  preacher, 
short  as  it  is,  is  the  only  one  which  I  have  yet 
been  able  to  discover.  Randolph,  in  a  letter  to 
the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  of  the  date  1686,f 
mentions  the  services  in  the  town  house,  and 
speaks  of  having  transferred  the  place  of  assem- 
bling to  the  "  exchange."  This  letter  is  a  great 
curiosity,  as  indeed  are  all  which  are  preserved  of 

*  See  Mass.  Hist.  Col.  2d  S.  vol.  2d,  p.  97.  It  is  worthy  of 
notice  that  when  Dunton  arrived,  some  time  in  March,  the 
harbor  was  frozen  over. 

t  No  other  date  is  given  to  this  letter.  Hutch.  Col.  Pa. 
p.  549. 


28  PERIOD   FIRST. 

his.  They  not  only  let  us  far  into  the  spirit  of 
the  times,  and  the  men  of  the  times,  but  show 
the  perfect  calmness  and  conscientiousness  of  his 
own  tyranny  in  a  way,  which,  however  exasper- 
ating that  tyranny  was  to  our  fathers,  is  to  us,  at 
this  distance  of  time,  only  amusing.  He  begins 
his  letter  thus ;  "  May  it  please  your  Grace,  —  I 
have  forborne  writing  to  your  grace  till  I  had 
been  some  time  upon  the  place,  to  see  how  the 
poor  people  here  would  demean  themselves  under 
the  new  government."  After  noticing  the  refrac- 
tory disposition  of  these  poor  people,  he  thus 
goes  on  to  speak  of  his  ecclesiastical  efforts.  "  I 
take  leave  humbly  to  remind,  that  when  your 
grace  was  present  at  a  committee  of  the  Lords, 
and  was  therein  pleased  to  move,  that  one  of  their 
meeting-houses  in  Boston  should  be  ordered  to 
be  set  apart  for  the  exercise  of  the  religion 
according  to  the  church  of  England,  it  was  then 
answered  by  some  of  those  noble  Lords  who  dis- 
coursed in  their  favour,  provided  they  might  have 
1  iberty  of  conscience  in  matters  of  religion,  they 
would  voluntarily  submit  to  have  one  of  their 
three  meeting  housen  *  to  be  disposed  of  by  the 
president  and  council  for  that  use.  Since  my 
arrival  with  Mr  Ratcliffe,f  a  sober  man,  recom- 

*  Housen,  so  spelt. 

*  There  must  have  been  a  royal  company  in  the  Rose. 


PERIOD   FIRST.  29 

mended  by  my  lord  of  London  to  be  our  minister  : 
who  besides  his  lordship's  fair  testimonials,  brought 
with  him  a  letter  from  the  right  honorable  the 
Lords  of  the  committee  for  trade  and  foreign  plan- 
tations to  the  president  and  council,  for  their  coun- 
tenance and  encouragement  in  the  discharge  of 
his  office  ;  }Tet  'twas  a  long  time  before  they  took 
the  least  notice  of  him  or  his  business.  At  last, 
though  strongly  opposed,  I  got  a  little  room  in 
their  town-house,  for  such  as  were  of  the  church 
of  England  to  assemble  in,  but  found  it  so  strait 
that  we  are  forced  now  to  make  use  of  the  ex- 
change for  that  purpose ;  where,  to  humour  the 
people,  our  minister  preaches  twice  a  daj  and 
baptises  all  that  come  to  him,  some  infants,  some 
adult  persons.  We  are  now  come  to  have 
prayers  every  Wednesday  and  Friday  mornings 
on  their  exchange,  and  resolve  not  to  be  baffled 
by  the  great  affronts ;  some  calling  our  minister 
BaaFs  priest,  and  some  of  their  ministers,  from 
the  pulpit,  calling  our  prayers  leeks,  garlic  and 
trash."  He  then  recurs  to  the  subject  of  mainte- 
nance, saying,  "  W"e  have  often  moved  for  an 
honorable  maintenance  for  our  minister  ;  but  they 
tell  us  those  that  hire  him  must  maintain  him,  a> 
they  maintain  their  own  ministers,  by  contribu- 
tion." He  humbly  represents  to  his  grace  "  that 
the  three  meeting-houses  in   Boston  might   pay 


30  PERIOD   FIRST. 

twenty  shillings  a  week,  a  piece,  out  of  their  con- 
tribution, towards  the  defraying  our  church 
charges  ;  that  sum  being  less  per  annum  than  each 
of  their  ministers  receive."  He  speaks  of  the 
necessity  of  having  another  minister  sent  over,  to 
supply  the  place  of  Mr  Ratcliffe,  in  case  any  ill- 
ness or  indisposition  should  happen  to  him.  He 
then  repeats  his  favorite  project  of  laying  hold  of 
the  money  designed  for  converting  the  Indians ; 
calls  it  a  "  bank  of  money,"  and  doubts  not  that 
it  amounts  to  at  least  two  thousand  pounds,  but 
says  that  he  does  not  adventure  to  stir  in  it,  hav- 
ing already  brought  upon  himself  so  many  ene- 
mies, and  to  all  his  crimes  "  added  this  one  as  the 
greatest,  in  bringing  in  the  liturgy  and  ceremonies 
of  the  church  of  England."* 

Nothing  could  be  more  graphic  than  the  strong 
and  natural  touches  of  this  letter.  We  see  the 
Bostonians  angry  and  abusive,  the  ministers  railing 
in  their  pulpits  against  the  English  Liturgy,  in 
terms  which  few  ministers  would  use  now  of  the 
prayers  of  the  most  degraded  heathen ;  and  on 
the  other  hand  we  have  the  usual  steady  and  un- 
ci oubting  arrogance  of  Randolph,  who  talks  of 
making  the  three  congregational  churches  support 
the    church  of  England,  in  ways  as  oppressive 

*  Spelt  in  the  letter  "  letherdge  and  cerimonise." 


PERIOD   FIRST.  31 

as  those  which  compelled  the  fathers  of  that  gen- 
eration to  fly  from  their  native  land. 

In  still  another  letter  to  the  Archbishop,  dated 
"  Octo.  -27th,  '86,"  Randolph  again  exhibits  the 
necessities  of  his  church.  "  I  have  some  time 
since,''  he  begins,  k*  humbly  represented  to  your 
grace  a  necessity  of  having  a  church  built  in  Bos- 
ton  to  receive  those  of  the  church  of  England. 
We  have  at  present  400  persons  who  are  daily 
frequenters  of  our  church,  and  as  many  more 
would  come  over  to  us,  but  some  being  tradesmen, 
others  of  mechanic  professions,  are  threatened  by 
the  congregational  men  to  be  arrested  by  their 
creditors,  or  to  be  turned  out  of  their  work,  if 
they  offer  to  come  to  our  church ;  under  such 
discouragements  we  lie  at  present,  and  are  forced 
to  address  your  grace  for  relief.''  He  once  more 
speaks  of  the  funds  for  evangelising  the  Indians, 
which  he  says  are  shamefully  misapplied  and 
even  embezzled  ;  mentions  that  Mr  Ratcliffe  lives 
on  a  small  contribution,  and  that  they  are  yet 
forced  to  meet  in  the  town  house  ;  and  finally 
entreats  the  efficient  aid  of  the  Archbishop,  lest 
the  small  beginnings  of  the  church  of  England, 
settled  here  with  great  difficulty,  fall  to  the  ground 
and  be  lost,  for  want  of  timely  relief  and  counte- 
nance. 

But  the  face  of  things  was  now  to  experience 


32  PERIOD   FIRST. 

another  change,  the  operation  of  which  was  to 
give  more  confidence  to  the  episcopalians,  and 
more  trouble  and  disquietude  to  the  great  body  of 
the  people.  I  refer  to  the  arrival  of  Sir  Edmund 
Andros  to  supersede  President  Dudley. 

Having  advanced  thus  far  in  our  history,  it  is 
easy  to  perceive  that  episcopalianism  in  New 
England  was  in  a  great  measure  indebted  to  the 
efforts,  official  and  personal,  of  Edward  Ran- 
dolph. Though  he  was  not  so  bad  a  man  as  the 
colonists  represented  and  believed  him  to  be,  yet 
he  was  arbitrary,  selfish  and  grasping,  and  not  a 
champion  for  a  religious  denomination  to  be 
proud  of.  But  a  cause  cannot  always  choose  its 
promoters,  and  many  promoters  of  this  cause 
were  highly  respectable  members  of  the  commu- 
nity, fairly  entitled  from  the  first  to  the  liberty 
which  they  won  at  last. 


PERIOD   SECOND. 

FROM  THE  FORMATION  OF  THE  FIRST  EPISCOPAL  SOCI- 
ETY TO  THE  BUILDING  OF  THE  FIRST  CHAPEL. 


SO    THE    HOUSE   OF    THE    LORD    WAS    PERFECTED.  — 2    Chron. 

viii.  16. 

In  the  two  preceding  discourses  I  have  been 
somewhat  minute  and  circumstantial  in  relating 
the  history  of  Episcopalianism  previous  to  the 
erection  of  the  first  Episcopal  chapel  in  Boston. 
But  such  particularity  seemed  to  be  required,  in 
order  that  the  temper  of  the  times  relating  to  this 
subject  might  be  exhibited  with  some  distinctness, 
and  justice  might  be  done  to  the  events  which 
led  to  what  was  in  reality  a  great  moral  innovation, 
if  not  revolution  in  these  colonies. 

I  have  also  been  obliged,  in  order  to  be  faithful, 
to  record  much  contention  and  recrimination. 
Considering  the  condition  of  the  two  religious 
parties,  together  with  the  frailty  of  human  nature, 
no  less  was  to  have  been  expected.     One  party. 


34  PERIOD    SECOND. 

the  great  majority,  had  always  been  accustomed 
to  rule  here ;  the  other  were   attached  to  the 
church  which  was  established  and  dominant  in 
England,  and  their  deficiency  in  numbers  was  in 
a  good  measure  supplied  by  the  countenance  of 
royal  authority.     The  latter  were  determined  to 
enjoy  their  own  mode  of  worship  ;  and  the  former 
were  determined  to  prevent  them  as  long  as  they 
could.     In  this  state  of  things  it  is  not  in  the  least 
to  be  wondered  at,  however  it  may  be  regretted, 
that  both  parties  should  far  transgress  the  bounds 
of  moderation,  and  the  laws  of  Christian  charity 
and  liberty  —  which  laws,  by  the  way,  were  cer- 
tainly not  understood  at  that  time  as  well  as  they 
are  now,  and  are  not  so  generally  understood  now, 
as  I  trust  they  will  be  hereafter. 

But  though  it  must  be  acknowledged,  and  ac- 
knowledged to  be  deplored,  that  much  acrimony 
accompanied  the  beginnings  of  our  church,  and 
that  much  pride  and  unholy  warmth  was  mingled 
with  the  just  zeal  of  its  founders,  it  must  not  be 
supposed  that  all  were  equally  liable  to  such  a 
charge  and  equally  reprehensible.  John  Dunton, 
from  whose  journal  I  have  already  quoted,  says 
expressly  of  one  of  the  chief  promoters  of  the 
undertaking,  Dr  Bullivant,  the  first  senior  warden 
of  the  Episcopal  church,  that  "  he  was  so  far  from 
pushing   things   to  that    extremity  as  some   hot 


PERIOD    SECOND.  35 

spirits  would  have   had  him,   that  he  was  for  ac- 
commodating things,  and  making  peace."*     No 

*  As  Dr  Bullivant  was  a  conspicuous  Episcopalian  in  those 
days,  and  stands  at  the  head  of  the  list  of  Wardens  of  the 
Chapel,  I  shall  make  no  apology  for  here  inserting  the 
whole  of  his  character,  as  given  in  the  quaint  manner  of 
Dunton. 

"From  Dr  Oakes  I  pass  to  my  good  friend  Dr  Bullivant, 
formerly  my  fellow  citizen  in  London.  I  must  consider 
him  both  as  a  gentleman  and  aphysitian.  As  a  gentleman, 
he  came  of  a  noble  family,  but  his  good  qualities  exceeded 
his  birth.  He  is  a  great  master  of  the  English  tongue,  and 
the  Northampton  people  find  him  a  universal  scholar.  His 
knowledge  of  the  laws  fitted  him  for  the  office  of  attorney 
general,  which  was  conferred  upon  him  on  the  revolution  in 
Boston  ;  it  is  true  he  sought  it  not,  but  New  England  knew 
his  worth,  and  even  forced  him  to  accept  of  it.  While  he 
held  this  place  of  attorney  general,  he  was  so  far  from  push- 
ing things  to  that  extremity  as  some  hot  spirits  would  have 
had  him,  that  he  was  for  accommodating  thiugs,  and  making 
peace.  His  eloquence  is  admirable  ;  he  never  speaks  but 
'tis  a  sentence,  and  no  man  ever  clothed  his  thoughts  in  bet- 
ter words. 

"  I  shall  next  consider  him  as  a  physitian.  His  skill  in 
pharmacy  was  such  as  had  no  equal  in  Boston,  nor  perhaps 
Northampton.  —  He  is  so  conversant  with  the  great  variety 
of  nature,  that  not  a  drug  or  simple  escapes  his  knowledge, 
ro  that  he  never  practises  new  experiments  upon  his  patients, 
except  it  be  in  desperate  cases,  where  death  must  be  expel- 
led by  death.  This  also  is  praiseworthy  in  him,  that  to  the 
poor  he  always  prescribes  cheap,  but  wholesome  medicines, 
not  curing  them  of  a  consumption  in  their  bodies,  and 
sending  it  into  their  purses,  nor  yet  directing  them  to  the 
East  Indies  to  look  lor  drugs,  when  they  may  have  far  better 
out  of  th&ir  gardens." 


36  PERIOD   SECOND. 

doubt  the  same  might  have  been  said  of  many 
others,  both  on  the  episcopal  and  congregational 
sides.  Neither  must  it  be  supposed  that  the  reli- 
gious services  of  the  Episcopalians  were  not 
soberly  and  devoutly  performed,  because  they 
had  so  much  trouble  in  obtaining  a  place  wherein 
to  perform  them.  In  the  most  contentious  and 
stormy  periods,  I  doubt  not  that  a  holy  calm  was 
shed  upon  the  heart  of  many  a  worshipper  as  he 
offered  up  his  prayers  in  the  way  which  to  him 
was  best  and  most  affecting,  and  perhaps  the  way 
in  which,  long  years  ago,  he  had  offered  them  up 
in  some  ivy-clad  village  church  of  green  England, 
with  many  dear  friends  about  him,  now  absent  or 
dead.  And  when,  according  to  the  agreement 
before  mentioned,  they  celebrated  their  first  com- 
munion, on  the  second  Sabbath  in  August,  1686, 
I  am  fully  persuaded  that  it  was  celebrated  in 
that  small  room  which  they  held  by  reluctant 
sufferance,  and  round  that  "  table  "  which  was 
their  cheap  and  lately  constructed  altar,  with  as 
much  reverence  and  humility  and  edification  as  it 
was  in  any  church  or  meeting-house  in  Old  Eng- 
land or  New. 

Let  us  now  return  to  the  narrative  of  events. 
My  last  discourse  concluded  with  an  intimation 
of  the  expected  t  rrival  of  the  royal  governor,  in 
whose  favor  Mr  Dudley  was  to  resign  his  tempo- 


PERIOD    SECOND.  37 

rary  presidency  over  the  New  England  colonies. 
Randolph  was  anxious  for  his  coming,  as  a  cool- 
ness had  for  some  time  subsisted  between  himself 
and  Dudley  ;  the  latter  gentleman  not  having 
proved  so  favorably  disposed  to  his  views,  when 
surrounded  by  his  own  people,  as  he  had  given 
Randolph  reason  to  suppose  he  would  have  been, 
by  his  former  apparently  interested  and  almost 
servile  conduct.  Nor  was  Randolph  obliged  to 
wait  long.  Sir  Edmund  Andros  arrived  at  Nan- 
tasket  on  Sunday  the  19th  of  December,  in  the 
Kingfisher,  a  50  gun  ship,  landed  at  Boston  on 
the  20th,  and  published  his  commission  on  the 
same  day,  about  seven  months  only  after  Dudley 
had  come  over  with  his  commission  as  president. 
The  new  governor  was  not  long  in  showing 
his  arbitrary  dispositions,  and  the  strong  hand 
with  which  he  intended  to  rule.  One  of  the  first 
acts  of  his  despotism  is  connected  with  the  history 
of  our  church,  and  indeed  comes  in  regular  con- 
tinuation of  it.  The  very  day  of  his  landing  and 
the  publication  of  his  commission,  he  had  a  con- 
ference in  the  library  of  the  town-house  with  the 
ministers  of  the  three  congregational  churches, 
concerning  the  accommodation  of  the  Episcopal 
society,  and  suggested  that  it  might  be  so  con- 
trived that  one  house  might  serve  two  assemblies. 
The  ministers,  with  four  lay  members  of  each 


38  PERIOD  SECOND, 

congregation,  held  a  meeting  the  next  day,  to 
consider  what  answer  to  give  to  the  governor, 
and  it  was  agreed,  as  Judge  Sewall  says  in  his 
diary,*  that  they  could  not  with  a  good  conscience 
consent  that  their  meeting-houses  should  be  made 
use  of  for  the  common  prayer  worship.  On  the 
evening  of  the  following  day,  December  22,  Mr 
Mather  and  Mr  Willard  waited  on  the  governor 
at  his  lodgings,  and  "  thoroughly  discoursed  his 
Excellency  about  the  meeting-houses,  in  great 
plainness,  showing  they  could  not  consent." 
The  governor,  either  from  an  unwillingness  to 
hurt  their  feelings  too  rudely,  or  from  a  fear  of 
displaying  his  power  too  suddenly,  seemed  to  say 
that  he  would  not  impose  upon  them  what  was 
manifestly  so  disagreeable.  And  so  the  matter 
was  suffered  to  rest,  but  only  for  a  short  time. 
On  the  23d  of  March,  1687,  the  governor  sent 
Mr  Randolph  for  the  keys  of  the  South  meeting- 
house, now  called  the  Old  South  ,f  that  the 
Episcopalians  might  have  prayers  there.  A 
committee  of  six,  of  whom  Judge  Sewall  was  one, 
thereupon  waited  on  his  Excellency,  to  show 
that  the  house  was  their  own  property,  and  to 

*  A  manuscript  yet  unpublished,  and  in  possession  of  the 
Sewall  family. 

t  It  was  called  the  Old  South,  after  the  New  South  in 
Summer  Street  was  built,  which  was  in  the  year  1717. 


PERIOD    SECOND-  39 

repeat  that  they  could  not  consent  to  part  with  it 
to  such  use.  This  was  on  Wednesday.  The 
following  Friday,  which  was  Good  Friday,  Sir 
Edmund  Andros  sent  to  command  the  sexton  of 
the  South  church  to  open  the  door,  and  rin«-  the 
bell  for  those  of  the  Church  of  England.  The 
sexton,  though  he  had  resolved  not  to  do  so,  was 
persuaded  or  intimidated  into  compliance,  and 
the  Governor  and  his  party  took  possession  of 
the  house,  and  the  church  service  was  performed 
there. 

In  looking  back  on  this  event,  we  are  obliged 
to  consider  it,  though  not  of  itself  of  great  political 
importance,  as  one  of  the  most  arbitrary  acts  ever 
perpetrated  in  this  country,  while  it  remained 
under  the  English  government.  No  excuse  is  to 
be  rendered  for  it.  It  was  such  a  deliberate 
outrage  on  the  common  rights  of  property,  to  say 
nothing  of  conscience  and  liberty,  that  we  may 
only  wonder  that  Andros  and  his  abettors,  of 
whom  Randolph  was  doubtless  one,  suffered  no 
personal  violence  from  the  people.  But  none 
seems  to  have  been  offered  ;  and  the  proprietors  of 
the  South  meeting-house,  finding  that  they  could 
not  resist  the  imposition,  submitted  to  it  as  well 
as  they  could.  Both  parties,  indeed,  after  the 
intrusion  was  effected,  and  regarded  as  a  settled 
thing,  evinced  some  desire  to  accommodate  each 


40  PERIOD    SECOND 

other  with  regard  to  the  hours  of  their  several 
meetings,  though  Andros  was  still  the  dictator. 
On  Easter  day,  March  27  ,#  the  governor  and  his 
retinue  again  met  in  the  South  Church,  at  eleven 
o'clock,  word  having  been  sent  to  the  proprietors 
that  they  might  come  at  half  past  one ;  but  it 
was  not  till  after  two  that  the  church  service  was 
over,  owing,  as  it  is  stated  by  Judge  Sewall,  to 
"  the  sacrament,  and  Mr  Clarke's  long  sermon  ; 
so  'twas  a  sad  sight,"  he  continues,  "  to  see  how 
full  the  street  was  with  people  gazing  and  moving 
to  and  fro,  because  they  had  not  entrance  into 
the  house." 

From  this  time  the  South  meeting-house  was 
occupied  by  the  governor  and  the  Episcopalians 
for  divine  worship,  if  not  constantly,  yet  whenever 
they  pleased  to  order  it.  On  Friday,  Feb.  10, 
1688,  it  was  used  for  the  funeral  service  over 
Lady  Andros,  who  was  buried  with  all  the  state 
attendant  on  such  occasions  in  England.  There 
is  something  quite  striking  in  the  few  words  of 
Judge  Sewall's  description  of  what  he  witnessed 
of  this  ceremony.  "  Between  4  and  5  I  went  to 
the  funeral  of  the  Lady  Andros,  having  been 
invited  by  the  dark  of  the  South  Company. 
Between  7  and  8  (lychnsf  illuminating  the  cloudy 

*  Entry  in  the  old  book,  under  the  date  of  March  27,  1687. 
"  Paid  for  wine  one  gallon  12s.  —  Paid  for  bread  6d." 
t  Torches.     Link  has  the  same  Greek  derivation. 


PERIOD    SECOND.  41 

air)  the  corpse  was  carried  into  the  herse  drawn 
by  six  horses,  the  soldiers  making  a  guard  from 
the  governor's  house  down  the  Prison  Lane  to 
the  South  meeting-house  ;  there  taken  out  and 
carried  in  at  the  western  door,  and  set  in  the 
alley  before  the  pulpit,  with  six  mourning  women 
by  it.  House  made  light  with  candles  and  torches. 
There  was  a  great  noise  and  clamor  to  keep  peo- 
ple out  of  the  house,  that  they  might  not  rush  in 
too  soon.     I  went  home." 

On  the  14th  of  April  Mr  West  was  sent  by 
the  governor  to  the  Rev.  Mr  Willard,  to  request 
him  to  begin  at  8  in  the  morning,  and  said  that 
this  should  be  the  last  time,  for  they  would  build 
a  house.  However,  it  was  not  the  last  time,  and 
the  governor  probably  continued  to  use  the  house, 
till  he  was  deposed  by  a  popular  insurrection  the 
next  year.  The  Episcopalians  were  nevertheless 
sincere  and  earnest  in  their  intentions  to  build  a 
church  for  themselves  forthwith.  Judge  Sewall 
was  applied  to  at  different  times,  and  once  parti- 
cularly by  Mr  RatclifFe,  for  land  at  "  Cotton 
Hill,"*  on  which  they  might  set  their  church. 
But  his  constant  reply  was,  that  he  could  not ; 
first,  because  he  would  not  set  up  that  which  the 
people  of  England  came  over  to  avoid,  and  sec- 
ondly, because  the  land  was  entailed. 

*  Cotton  Hill  is  the  elevated  ground  on  which  Mr  Phillip's 
house  now  stands,  opposite  the  Chapel  burying  ground. 


42  PERIOD   SECOND. 

It  appears  from  the  above  account,  as  well  as 
from  other  authorities,  that  Mr  Ratcliffe  had  an 
assistant  by  the  name  of  Clark,  or  Clarke.  His 
christian  name  was  Robert.*  It  is  probable  that 
he  was  sent  over  by  the  Bishop  of  Lon  Ion,  at 
the  instance  of  Randolph  ;  but  I  have  not  been 
able  to  learn  anything  of  his  history. 

As  illustrative  of  the  times,  it  may  not  be  amiss 
to  mention  in  this  its  proper  place,  that  a  person 
by  the  name  of  Lilly  having  died,  and  left  the 
ordering  of  his  funeral  to  his  executors,!  Mr  Rat- 
cliffe undertook  to  perform  the  funeral  service  at 
his  grave,  the  deceased  having  probably  belonged 
to  his  society .%  The  executors  forbade  his  read- 
ing it,  and  when  he  begun,  Deacon  Frairey,  of 
the  South  Church,  interrupted  him  and  stopped 
his  proceeding  ;  for  which  the  deacon  was  bound 
to  his  good  behaviour  for  twelve  months. 

*  Christian  name  Robert.  So  says  the  list  of  the  ministers 
of  King's  Chapel  in  Hist.  Col.  1  S.  vol.  iii.  p.  250.  But  the 
following  memorandum  from  the  old  book  makes  me  doubt 
it,  and  think  that  his  name  was  Josiah.  After  a  receipt  of 
Mr  Ratcliffe  for  twenty  pounds  and  fourteen  shillings  from 
the  wardens  Bullivant  and  Maccartie,  comes  the  "  memo- 
randum, that  Mr  Ratcliffe  gave  of  the  above  sum,  and  at  the 
same  time,  unto  Mr  Josiah  Clarke  minister  for  his  afternoon 
Lecture,  Tenn  pounds.  As  attests  Benjamin  Bullivant." 
The  date  of  Mr  Ratcliffe's  receipt  is  Decemb.  31.  1686. 

t  Hutch.  Hist.  1.  356.  note. 

1 1  find  the  name  of  Edward  Lilley  among  the  subscribers 
to  the  church. 


PERIOD    SECOND.  43 

We  now  approach  the  close  of  Andros's  tyran- 
nical government,  which  was  brought  about 
through  the  influence  of  one  of  the  most  auspi- 
cious changes  in  the  government  of  the  mother 
country,  the  glorious  revolution,  as  it  is  called,  of 
16S8.  The  spring  succeeding  the  landing  of 
William  of  Orange  at  Torbay,  news  was  brought 
to  Boston  of  the  event,  by  way  of  Virginia,  by  a 
Mr  Winslow.  He  was  immediately  imprisoned 
by  Justice  Foxcroft  and  others,  "  for  bringing  a 
traitorous  and  treasonable  libel  into  the  country," 
and  though  he  offered  two  thousand  pounds  bail, 
it  was  not  accepted.  The  old  magistrates,  and 
other  principal  colonists,  secretly  hoped  and 
prayed  for  the  success  of  the  Prince's  enterprise, 
but  thought  it  best  to  wait  for  the  consummation. 
But  the  people  could  not  wait.  The  wrath  which 
had  long  been  pent  up  within  them,  broke  out 
into  open  revolt  on  the  18th  of  April,  1689;  the 
governor,  Randolph,  Bullivant,  Dudley,  and 
many  others  were  seized  and  confined,  the  fort 
and  the  Rose  frigate  were  taken,  and  the  old 
magistrates  were  restored  as  a  sort  of  provisional 
committee  of  safety.  Sunday,  the  26th  of  May, 
the  joyful  news  arrived  of  the  proclaiming  of 
William  and  Mary,  and  on  the  29th,  the  pro- 
clamation was  published  in  Boston  with  great 
ceremony.     Late  in  the  year,  an  order  from  the 


44  PERIOD    SECOND. 

king  *  was  received,  requiring  that  Sir  Edmund 
Andros,  Edward  Randolph,  John  Trefry,  and 
others  that  had  been  seized  by  the  people  of 
Boston,  should  be  sent  to  England  in  the  first 
ship  bound  thither,  and  in  February,  1690,  they 
embarked,  and  Boston  was  rid  of  them  and  their 
tyranny.f 

Mr  Ratcliffe  and  his  assistant,  Mr  Clark,  must 
have  also  gone  back  to  England  about  this  time, 
as  I  find  no  notice  of  either  of  them,  after  the 
deposition  of  Andros. J 

But  in  the  meantime  the  Episcopal  church 
had  been  built.  How  the  land  was  procured,  or 
of  whom,  when  the  building  was  dedicated,  or 
by  whom,  there  is  no  record,  or  if  there  be  one, 
I  have  not  met  with  it.$     The  entry  which  im- 

*  Dated  July  30, 1689.     Hutch.  Hist.  1.  p.  391. 

t  Andros  "  obtained,  some  time  after,  the  government  of 
Virginia.  Dudley  was  appointed  chief  justice  of  New  York, 
and,  the  latter  end  of  the  year  1690,  was  at  Boston,  in  his 
way  to  his  post.  Nicholson  endeavored  for  the  government 
of  New  York,  but  had  not  interest  to  carry  it,  and  was  ap- 
pointed Lieut,  governor  of  Virginia."  Hutch.  Hist.  1.  p. 
395. 

t  Mr  Ratcliffe  must  have  gone  to  England  before  Andros, 
and  very  soon  after  his  deposition,  as  is  evident  from  the  fol- 
lowing entry  on  the  records.  "  July  27,  1689.  By  disburse- 
ments for  the  accommodation  of  Mr  Ratcliffe  for  his  voy- 
age home,  as  appears  by  several  bills  on  file,  £11  4s.  3d." 

§  The  following  dates  from  the  old  record-book  may  give 
some  light.     Under  the  date  of  March  20,  1687,  there  is  the 


PERIOD    SECOND.  45 

mediately  follows  the  record  of  the  second  meet- 
ing, mentioned  in  my  last  discourse,  is  a  list  of 
ninetysix  contributers  to  the  building,  dated  July, 
1689,  and  headed  thus  ;  "  Laiis  Deo —  a  memo- 
randum of  such  honest  and  well  disposed  persons 
that  contributed  their  assistance  for,  and  towards 
erecting  a  Church  for  God's  worship  in  Boston, 
according  to  the  constitution  of  the  Church  of 
England,  as  by  law  established."  The  sum  con- 
tributed by  these  ninetysix  individuals,  was  £256 
9s.  The  cost  of  the  house  is  then  stated  to  be 
£284  16s.  A  few  lines  further  on,  is  inserted 
the  following  remarkable  note  :  — 

"  Note  that  on  18°  Aprill  preseeding  the  date 
on  th'  other  side,  began  a  most  impious  and  de- 
testable rebellion  agst  the  King's  Majety's  Gov- 
ernment, the  Governr,  and  all  just  men  to  the 
same  were  brought  into  restraint."  Then  fol- 
lows ;    "  Sr  Edmund    Androse    Kl  left    for   the 

last  regular  entry  of  the  weekly  contribution  till  after  An- 
dres's deposition.  On  the  30th  of  June,  1689,  these  entries 
are  again  resumed.  It  will  be  remembered  that  on  the  23d 
of  March,  16S7,  Androstcok  possession  of  the  South  Church, 
aad  on  the  18lh  of  April  18S9,  was  deposed.  July  1,  1689, 
there  is  an  entry  of  20s.  paid  to  Mr  Niles,  and  5s.  to  the 
"  Clerke  :"  and  July  5,  of  £1  15s  0  to  "  Mr  Wm.  Smith  for 
Benching  the  church."  Putting  these  dates  together,  I 
think  it  almost  certain  that  worship  was  first  performed  in 
the  wooden  church  on  the  last  Sabbath  and  day  in  June, 
16S9. 


46  PERIOD   SECOND. 

church  service  30 Capt.  frrancis  Nicholson 

left  25 ." 

Next  to  the  above  it  is  recorded  that  in  the 
year  1693,  the  officers  of  Sir  Francis  Wheeler's 
fleet,  which  put  into  Boston  to  recruit,  after  an 
unsuccessful  expedition  against  Martinique,  gave 
twenty  four  pounds,  and  the  gentlemen  land  officers 
thirty  two,  making  fifty  six  pounds.  After  these 
are  recorded  some  other  donations. 

Still  the  church  was  without  pews.  In  1694 
an  agreement  was  entered  into  with  a  carpenter 
to  build  them,  which  he  was  to  do  for  £85  — 
and  a  subscription  was  made  by  fiftythree  persons, 
which  more  than  covered  the  expense.  "  So  the 
house  of  the  Lord  was  perfected." 

This  first  church  was  built  of  wood.  It  stood 
on  t  e  spot  covered  by  the  present  church,  but 
did  not  occupy  nearly  so  much  ground.  In  an 
old  engraving  which  I  have  examined,  represent- 
ing the  town  of  Boston  as  it  was  in  1720,  this 
church,  among  others,  is  introduced.  It  stands 
in  the  same  position  with  the  present  one,  has  a 
squire  tower  at  the  west  end,  from  the  roof  of 
which  rises  a  staff  supporting  the  vane,  and  just 
uncer  the  vane  is  a  large  and  quite  observable 
crown.  It  was  the  fifth  house  of  public  worship 
erected  in  Boston.  The  congregational  houses 
were  then  three  in  number,  and  the  Baptists  had 


PERIOD  [SECOND.  47 

succeeded  in  building  themselves  a  church,  seve- 
ral years  before  the  Episcopalians  commenced 
theirs.* 

Some  of  the  circumstances  connected  with  the 
origin  and  progress  of  the  Episcopal  society  must 
always  be  regretted.  And  yet  it  is  pretty  certain 
that  had  there  not  been  such  an  excess  of  oppo- 
sition, bigotry  and  contumely  on  the  other  side, 
there  would  not  have  been  so  much  overbearing 
pride  excited  on  theirs.  There  are  some  who 
undertake  to  defend  our  puritan  fathers  through 
the  whole  of  their  exclusive  course.  This  can 
never  be  done  with  success.  If  they  were  pro- 
scribed and  oppressed  in  the  mother  country, 
they  ought  to  have  learned  that  proscription  and 
oppression  are  hateful  everywhere.  If  they  suc- 
cessfully resisted  or  eluded  proscription  and  op- 
pression, they  might  have  learned  that  wherever 
there  is  true  strength  in  the  public  mind,  pro- 
scription and  oppression  are  as  useless  as  they 
are  hateful.  If  it  is  said  that  it  was  necessary 
for  the  safety  of  the  puritans,  that  they  should 
persecute  all  who  dissented  from  them,  and  keep 

*  The  first  Baptist  meeting-house  in  Boston  was  op  ned 
for  worship  on  the  15th  of  February,  167!).  The  Baptists 
"  proceeded  with  so  much  caution  in  huilding  their  house, 
that  it  was  not  known  for  what  purpose  it  wa*  erected  until 
it  was  completed." — Snow's  History  of  Boston,  p.  151, 


48  PERIOD    SECOND. 

any  mixture  of  doctrine  from  coming  among  them, 
I  must  be  pardoned  for  not  believing  it ;  espe- 
cially when  I  see  that  in  thirtyfive  years  after  the 
planting  of  this  city,  one  of  the  three  churches  then 
gathered  in  it  was  a  dissenting  church,  and  that 
in  less  than  thirty  years  more,  two  out  of  the  five 
houses  of  worship  erected  in  it  were  not  congre- 
gational, and  yet  the  colony  was  as  safe  as  ever. 
I  must  be  pardoned  for  believing  that  the  propor- 
tion of  dissenters  would  not  have  been  greater, 
had  our  puritan  fathers  been  more  liberal  in  their 
principles  ;  and  that  there  would  have  been  quite 
as  much  unity  of  opinion,  with  a  great  deal  more 
of  that  which  is  a  great  deal  better,  namely,  unity 
of  spirit.  There  would  hardly  have  been  more 
dissenting  houses  than  there  were,  and  they  would 
have  been  built  up  more  religiously  and  peace- 
fully. If  I  am  pointed,  as  the  petitioners  of  1646 
were  pointed,  to  the  case  of  Rhode  Island,  I  say 
I  want  no  better  case  for  my  argument.  If  all 
who  were  rejected  here  fled  there ;  if  Gortonists 
and  Hutchinsonians  and  Baptists  and  Quakers 
and  Episcopalians,  and  freethinkers  and  revellers, 
if  all  of  every  name  and  character  who  were 
compelled  to  quit  this  state,  settled  down  to- 
gether on  that  little  lot  of  land,  and  still  Rhode 
Island  succeeded  as  she  did  and  has,  I  desire  no 
better  case  ;  for  it  only  shows  me  what  a  bond  of 


PERIOD   SECOND.  49 

discordant  elements,  what  a  sweetener  of  bitter 
waters,  is  holy  freedom. 

My  sympathies  are  not  with  Episcopalians  or 
royalists,  as  such.  They  rather  cleave  to  the 
puritans,  whether  in  the  mother  country  or  in  this 
—  that  noble  company,  who  separated  themselves 
from  the  corruption  which  was  in  the  world  through 
lust,  the  lust  of  pleasure  and  the  lust  of  power, 
and  founded  an  asylum  on  these  shores  for  virtue 
and  liberty.  But  they  had  their  faults  ;  and  ex- 
clusiveness,  which  was  one  of  them,  deserves 
reprobation,  wherever  and  by  whomsoever  it  is 
manifested.  In  looking  at  those  times  which  are 
now  passing  under  our  review,  I  may  be  permitted 
to  rejoice,  therefore,  and  I  do  rejoice,  that  the 
Episcopalians  accomplished  their  object,  and  ob- 
tained a  house  of  prayer  which  they  could  call  their 
own ;  in  which  they  could  worship  God  in  their 
own  chosen  way,  and  commemorate  their  Lord 
without  going  through  a  discipline  of  rigid  creeds 
and  confessions,  and  baptize  their  children  as 
they  themselves  were  baptized  in  the  land  of  their 
birth. 


PERIOD    THIRD 


FROM  THE    ARRIVAL    OF     MR    MYLES,    THE    SECOND 

RECTOR  TO  THE  DEATH  OF   MR  BRIDGE,  HIS 

FIRST  ASSISTANT. 


AND    THE    PRIESTS    WAITED  ON    THEIR    OFFICES.  — 2  Cliroil. 

vii.  6. 
A    BISHOP     THEN    MUST     BE     BLAMELESS — VIGILANT  —  APT 

TO  TEACH. —  1   Tim.   Hi.  2. 

The  successor  of  Mr  Ratcliffe,  as  minister  of 
the  "  Congregation  of  the  Church  of  England  in 
Boston,"  was  the  Rev.  Samuel  Myles.  As  the 
records  of  the  church  show  that  the  first  weekly- 
contribution  after  the  deposition  of  Andros  was 
paid  to  Mr  Myles,  July  I,  1689,  and  that  on  the 
27th  of  July,  a  disbursement  was  made  "  for 
the  accommodation  of  Mr  Ratcliffe  for  his  voy- 
age home,"  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  both 
these  gentlemen  were  present  at  the  opening  of 
the  newly  erected  church.  Taking  into  view  the 
highly  excited  state  of  the  popular  mind  at  the 
time,  it  is  not  likely  that  any  great  ceremony 
was  attempted  on  the  occasion. 


PERIOD   THIRD.  51 

I  presume,  though  I  am  unable  to  state  it  as  a 
fact,  that  Mr  Myles  was  sent  over  from  England 
to  the  Episcopalians,  by  their  diocesan,  the  Bish- 
op of  London,  because  such  was  the  constant 
practice.  He  waited  regularly  on  his  office, 
from  the  time  of  his  induction,  June  29,  1689, 
to  some  time  in  July,  1692,*  when  he  took  a 
voyage  to  the  mother  county,  for  the  purpose  of 
laying  before  the  high  authorities  there  the  con- 
dition of  the  Chapel  and  congregation,  and  ob- 
taining aid  in  their  behalf. 

In  his  absence  the  pulpit  was  supplied  by  a 
Mr  Smith,  who  officiated  till  the  middle  of  June, 
1693 ;  and  from  that  time  till  the  return  of  Mr 
Myles,  it  was  filled  by  Mr  George  Hatton. 

Of  the  former  of  these  gentlemen  I  can  learn 
no  particulars.  Of  the  latter  there  is  a  notice  in 
the  records,  which  will  be  copied  in  its  place. 

On  the  24th  of  July,  1696,  Mr  Myles  return- 
ed from  England,  having  executed  his  commission 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  infuse  new  life  into  his  con- 
gregation. He  had  found  means  so  to  interest 
the  royal  partners,  that  they  extended  to  the 
church  their  personal  protection  and  patronage ; 
and  though  Queen  Mary  died  while  he  was  in 
London,  William  III.  continued  to  perform  what 
she  had  engaged  to  do  on  her  part  for  the  adher- 

*  Mr  Myles's  last  receipt  at  this  period  is  dated  July  17, 
1692. 


52  PERIOD   THIRD. 

ents  to  the  English  establishment  in  these  distant 
dominions.  The  influence  of  the  Bishop  of 
London  was  no  doubt  the  channel  through  which 
Mr  Myles  effected  his  purposes. 

His  arrival  is  thus  recorded.  "  Boston,  1696. 
This  year  Mr  Samuel  Myles,  Pastor  of  this 
Church,  returned  from  England;  hee  arrived 
July  24th  and  brought  with  him  part  of  the  Gift 
of  Quene  Mary  performed  by  King  William 
after  her  decease,  viz.  the  Church  furniture,  which 
were  A  Cushion  and  Cloth  for  the  Pulpit,  two 
Cushions  for  the  Reading  Deske,  a  carpet  for  the 
Allter,  all  of  Crimson  Damask  with  silk  fringe, 
one  Large  Bible,  two  Large  Common  prayer 
Books,  twelve  Lesser  Common  prayer  Bookes, 
Linin  for  the  Allter.     Also  two  surplises." 

Soon  after  is  the  following  notice,  which  has 
just  been  referred  to,  respecting  Mr  Hatton. 
"  Boston,  October  28th.  Mr  George  Hatton, 
who  had  preached  here  in  the  Absence  of  Mr 
Myles  for  about  three  years,  at  his  going  home  to 
the  Island  of  Providence  the  Church  presented 
him  with  twenty  pounds,  which  was  paid  him. 
Tenn  pounds  by  Thaddeus  Mackarty  and  Tenn 
pounds  by  Capt.  nra  ffoxcroft  out  of  the  church 
stock." 

Then  are  recorded  gifts  to  the  church  in  mon- 
ey,  from    Dr   Biillivant,    and    Capt.    William 


TERIOD   TniRD.  53 

Higgins,  commander  of  his  Majesty's  ship  the 
Arundell,  after  which  is  the  following  memoran- 
dum ;  k-  The  Decalouge,  viz.  thee  tenn  Com- 
mandments, the  Lord's  Prayer  and  the  Creed, 
were  drawne  in  England  and  brought  over  by  Mr 
Samuel  Myles  in  July,  1696."*  A  costly  service 
of  communion  plate  is  described  as  brought  over 
by  Capt.  John  Foye,  the  next  year ;  another 
proof  of  the  bounty  of  the  King  and  Queen.f 
It  formed  a  part  of  the  service  no  doubt,  which 
was  carried  back  to  England  by  Dr  Caner,  in  the 
war  of  the  revolution. 

But  a   more    substantial    evidence  still  of  the 

*  It  is  no  stretch  of  charity  to  believe  that  the  honest  war- 
den who  made  this  memorandum  knew  better  how  to  keep  the 
Decalogue,  than  he  did  to  describe  or  to  spell  it. 

t  "  Boston  1697,  then  received  of  Mr  Myles  too  great 
Silver  Flagons,  and  one  sallver  and  one  boul  and  one  Civer 
all  of  Sill ver  which  was  given  to  the  Church  by  the  King 
and  Queen  and  broughtover  by  Capt.  John  Foyp,  Received 
by  me  Giles  Dyer  Church  Warden." 

Mr  Giles  Dyer  seems  to  have  had  a  generous  soul,  which 
was  inflamed  with  the  desire  ot  imitating  the  royal  benefac- 
tors of  the  Chapel ;  as  his  own  records  may  witness.  "  To 
my  Labor  for  making  the  Wather  Cock  and  Spindel,  to  Duing 
the  Commandements  and  allter  rome,  and  the  Pulpet,  to  Du- 
ing the  Church  and  Winders  mor  to  Duing  the  Gallarey 
and  the  Kings  Armes,  fortey  pounds  which  I  Freely  Give, 
G.  Dyer."  In  return  for  these  benefactions  the  church 
should  have  taught  Mr  Dyer  the  useful  science  and  accom- 
plishment of  Orthography.  "  Duing,"  probably  means 
painting,  which  was  Mr  Dyer's  business. 


54  PERIOD  THIRD. 

royal  favor,  was  an  annuity  of  one  hundred  pounds, 
for  the  support  of  an  assistant  minister  at  the 
Chapel ;  though  some  subsequent  events  made  it 
extremely  doubtful  whether  this  provision  was 
for  the  real  benefit  of  the  cause. 

The  first  assistant  appointed  by  the  Bishop  of 
London,  was  a  Mr  Dansy,  who  died  on  his  pas- 
sage to  Boston.*  The  next  was  a  Mr  White, 
who  was  sent  with  Lord  Bellomont,  when  that 
nobleman  came  out  to  succeed  Sir  William  Phips 
in  the  government  of  New  England. j-  The  man 
of  war  in  which  they  sailed  was  blown  off  to  Bai  - 
badoes,  where  Mr  White  died.  Thus  twice  de- 
prived of  their  expected  minister,  the  church 
applied  for  another,  in  a  letter  to  the  Bishop,  of  the 
2d  of  May,  1698.  A  letter  of  the  same  date  is  re- 
corded, being  a  congratulatory  address  to  the  Earl 
of  Bellomont,  on  his  arrival  at  New  York.  It  is 
superscribed  "  To  his  Excellency,  Richard,  Earl 
of  Bellomont,  Capt.  Generall  and  Governour  in 
Chief  of  his  Majesties  Provinces    of  the  Massa- 

*  Mr  Myles  married  his  widow,  and  went  to  housekeeping, 
and  his  salary  was  increased  in  consequence  from  two  to 
three  pounds  per  week. 

t  Sir  William  Phips  arrived  with  the  new  charter  May 
14th,  1692.  He  returned  to  England  in  1694,  and  died  there 
Feb.  18,  1695.  Richard,  Earl  of  Bellomont,  arrived  in  New 
York,  May,  1698,  and  in  Boston,  May  26, 1699. 


PERIOD   THIRD.  55 

chusetts  Bay,  New  York  and  New  Hampshire  ;" 
and  is  in  the  adulatory  style  common  to  such 
addresses. 

With  the  new  Governor  arrived  a  very  valua- 
ble present  of  books  to  the  Church  from  the 
Bishop  of  London.*  A  complete  catalogue  of 
them  is  preserved  in  the  book  of  records  of  this 
period,  and  an  examination  of  it  enables  me  to 
say,  that  they  formed  a  theological  library  which 
was  perhaps  the  best  at  that  time  in  the  country, 
and  would  be  now  considered  as  of  great  excel- 
lence  and  such  as  any  institution  or  individual 
might  be  glad  to  possess.  It  was  carefully  de- 
posited in  boxes  made  for  the  purpose  by  order 
of  the  wardens,  and  placed  in  Mr  Myles's  house. 
It  has  since  been  neglected,  dispersed  and  abused 
in  various  ways,  till  the  sad  remnant  was  saved, 
by  being  deposited  a  few  years  ago  in  the  Libra- 
ry of  the  Boston  Athenaeum. 

The  receipt  of  these  books  was  acknowledged 
in  a  letter  to  the  Bishop,  dated  21  July,  1698, 
written  by  the  wardens  in  behalf  of  the  congre- 
gation. "  We  have  received,"  say  they,  "  an- 
other experience  of  his  Lordship's  care  and  kind- 
ness in  sending  us  a  Library,  which  we  have 
received   in  good  condition,  and  having  this  op- 

'  *  The  gift  of  books  was  actually  from  the  King.  This  I 
infer  from  its  being  afterwards  called  the  King's  library. 


56  PERIOD  THIRD. 

portunity  of  a  worthy  Gent.  Coll.  Andrew 
Hamilton,  Late  Governor  of  the  Jerseys,  may  not 
omit  to  render  your  Lordship  our  most  hearty 
thanks ;  and  shall  see  them  improved  to  the  true 
intent :  for  the  present  have  lodged  them  in  Mr 
Myles  his  study,  for  the  use  of  him,  the  assistant 
when  he  comes,  and  his  or  their  successors,  and 
take  care  that  no  abuse  or  imbecilment  be  made 
of  them." 

In  a  third  letter  of  the  21st  November,  same 
year,  the  wardens  renew  their  request  for  an  as- 
sistant to  Mr  Myles,  "  for,"  they  urge,  "  should 
any  sickness  or  distemper  happen  to  him,  we 
should  run  adventure  of  being  dispersed,  which 
would  overthrow  in  an  instant  what  we  have 
been  this  ten  years  endeavoring,  the  firm  estab- 
lishment of  a  Church  of  England  Congregation 
in  this  place."  They  further  entreat  his  Lord- 
ship not  in  the  least  to  admit  of  Mr  Myles's  re- 
moval, "  for  he  is  well  liked  of  all  of  us,"  say 
they,  "  a  good  liver  and  a  painfull  preacher." 
They  end  by  assuring  his  Lordship  that  they  are 
very  zealous  in  promoting  their  increase,  "  and 
are  intended,  finding  it  will  be  needful,  to  enlarge 
their  chapel." 

The  following  letter  mentions  the  arrival  of 
an  assistant. 


PERIOD    THIRD.  5d 

"  Right  Hon'j'o  and  Right  Reverend  Father  in  God. 
May  it  please  your  Lordsp- 

We  have  gladly  received  the 
effect  of  our  formers  by  the  appearance  of  Mr 
Christopher  Bridge  amongst  us.  Which  favour 
of  your  Lordship  we  acknowledge  with  all  thank- 
fulness :  And  doubt  not  but  he  will  be  to  satis- 
faction :  We  shall  constantly  pay  him  40  shillings  a 
week,  which  we  began  the  5th  instant  the  first  day 
of  his  arrival.  Also  we  continue  unto  Mr  Myles 
his  3  pounds  a  week,  besides  his  perquisites,  and 
shall  not  be  wanting  in  our  due  respects  to  both 
of  them.  We  have  received  the  goods  from  Mr 
Wessendunck,  and  pray  the  continuance  of  your 
Lordship's  favour.  We  shall  alwaies  endeavour 
to  approve  ourselves 

Yr  Lordps  Most   obedient   Sons. 

George  Turfrey  >  lir     7 
T         ,  >  H  ardens 

John  Ixdicot  ) 

Of  the  King's  Chappell  in  Boston  in  New 
England. 

20  March,  1691." 

The  Mr  Wessendunck  mentioned  in  the  above 
letter,  was  an  original  member  of  the  church, 
and  at  this  time  their  agent  in  London,  who 
transacted  their  business,  and  through  whom 
their  letters  were  transmitted.  The  "  goods," 
were  articles   of  merchandize,   in  which  form  it 


58  PERIOD  THIRD. 

was  more  advantageous  to  the  church  to  receive 
the  king's  bounty  than  in  money. 

About  a  month  after  Mr  Bridge's  arrival,  the 
congregation,  whose  temporal  concerns  had  hith- 
erto been  managed  by  two  wardens,  voted  to 
constitute  a  body  of  vestrymen  to  be  joined  in 
authority  with  the  ministers  and  wardens.  This 
vote  was  passed  on  Easter  Monday,  April  10th, 
and  the  next  day  the  vestrymen  were  chosen, 
according  to  the  following  vote. 

to  o 

"  Voted  that  Francis  Foxcroft,  Thaddeus 
Mackarty,  Thomas  Newton,  Giles  Dyer,  Benja. 
Mountfort,  John  Cooke,  Savil  Simpson,  Edward 
Lyde  and  Edward  Turfrey  be  a  Vestry  of  this 
Congregation  for  one  year  ensueing,  to  advise 
and  consult  with  the  Ministers  and  Wardens  upon 
and  concerning  all  matters  and  things  as  shall  by 
them  be  from  time  to  time  thought  necessary 
to  be  done  and  performed  relating  to  the  said 
Church,  and  the  placing  and  seating  of  persons 
therein,  and  to  represent  the  whole  congregation 
in  all  matters  and  things  whereunto  the  consent 
of  the  same  is  necessary.  And  that  whatsoever 
the  Wardens  with  the  advice  of  said  Vestry  or 
major  part  of  them  shall  do  in  the  premises  be 
accounted  the  act  of  the  whole  Congregation. 
Provided  that  this  shall  not  be  understood  so  as 
to  hinder  the  Wardens  from  paying  the  weekly 


PERIOD   THIRD .  59 

allowance  of  3  ft,  to  MrMyles,  2ft  to  Mr  Bridge; 

os.  to  Edward  Hill,  Sexton,  and  lofb  a  year  to 
John  Giles,  Clerk,  without  the  consent  of  the 
said  Vestry,  but  that  they  pay  the  same  as  has 
been  accustomed. 

"  Voted  also  That  a  Vestry  be  alike  annually 
chosen."* 

The  next  month,  May  1699,  Lord  Bello- 
montf  came  to  Boston  from  New  York.  The 
churchmen  must  naturally  have  expected  that 
much  consequence,  if  not  advantage  would  be 
gained  to  them  by  counting  a  nobleman  among 
the  members  of  their  society,  and  they  exerted 
themselves  to  show  him  attention.  They  fitted 
up  a  state  pew  for  him, J  and  at  their  Easter 
meeting,  April  1, 1700,  at  which  he  was  present, 
placed  him  first  on  their  list  of  vestrymen.  But 
it  was  his  Lordship's  policy,  as  it  was  for  his  in- 
terest, to  conciliate  the  general  favor,  and  there- 
fore   though    he  attended   public   worship  at  the 

*  The  next  year,  April  1,  1700,  the  number  of  vestrymen 
was  increased  from  nine  to  eleven,  the  next  year  to  thir- 
teen, and  the  next  to  twenty.  In  1706  it  was  agreed  that 
there  should  be  "  twelve,  besides  his  Excellency,  the  Left. 
Governor,  ministers  and  church  wardens,  in  the  vestry." 
Dudley  was  then  Governor.  Afterwards  the  number  was 
constantly  varying. 

t  Hutchinson  spells  the  name  Bellamont. 

|  "  1  Aprill.  By  Capt.  ffoxcraft  pd  for  my  Lord's  pew  to 
Mr  Everard  £13.  — ." 


60  PERIOD   THIRD. 

King's  Chapel,  he  went  also  to  hear  the  congre- 
gational ministers  at  the  Thursday  Lecture,  and 
was  so  far  from  imitating  the  conduct  of  Andros, 
that  lie  was  inclined  perhaps  to  the  opposite 
error  of  indifference  to  his  own  mode  of  faith.* 
Thus  it  happened  to  the  episcopalians  as  has 
often  happened  to  others  before  and  since,  that 
one  worldly  interest  was  counteracted  and  nul- 
lified by  the  operation  of  another  equally  as 
worldly.  There  was  little  time,  however,  for 
the  noble  governor  and  vestryman  either  to  pat- 
ronize or  disappoint  them.  He  went  back  to 
New  York  this  year,  where  he  soon  after  died. 
In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1702,  news  was 
received  of  the  death  of  King  William,  and  the 
Church  was  put  in  mourning.  Before  his  de- 
cease, Mr  Joseph  Dudley,  who  had  rendered 
himself  so  obnoxious  here,  as  in  many  things  the 
coadjutor,     and,   for    his    own    selfish   ends,   al- 

*Hutchinson  in  his  second  volume,  page  112,  tells  in  a 
note  this  anecdote  of  the  Governor.  e*«  Among  the  more 
liberal  was  one  Bullivant,  an  apothecary,  who  had  been 
a  justice  of  peace  under  Andros.  Lord  Bellamont,  going 
from  the  lecture  to  his  house,  with  a  great  crowd  round  him, 
passed  by  Bullivant  standing  at  his  shop  door  loitering. 
'  Doctor,''  says  his  lordship  with  an  audible  voice,  '  You  have 
lost  a  precious  sermon  to  day.'  Bullivant  whispered  to  one 
of  his  companions  who  stood  by  him,  '  If  I  could  have  got 
as  much  by  being  there  as  his  lordship  will,  I  would  have 
been  there  too.'  " 


PERIOD  THIRD.  61 

most  the  creature  of  Randolph,  had  interest 
enough  to  obtain  while  in  London,  the  appoint- 
ment of  Governor  of  Massachusetts,  which  he 
had  so  long  and  eagerly  coveted.  On  his 
reappearance  in  Boston,  invested  with  his  new 
dignity,  he  was  received  kindly,  and  with  a  for- 
getfulness  of  past  offences.  He  joined  himself 
to  the  congregation  of  Queen's  Chapel,  as  it  was 
now  called,  on  the  accession  of  Queen  Anne  ; 
and  his  name,  together  with  that  of  the  Lieuten- 
ant Governor,  constantly  appears  on  the  list  of 
vestrymen  ;  it  having  been  voted  that  these  two 
magistrates  should  belong  to  the  vestry  from  their 
office. 

We  now  come  to  an  unpleasant  part  of  the 
history  of  the  church.  Toward  the  end  of  the 
year  1703,  it  was  voted  at  a  vestry  meeting  that 
Mr  Bridge,  thea<si>tant  minister,  should  proceed 
to  England  in  order  to  solicit  subscriptions  for 
enlarging  the  chapel,  a  measure  which  had  been 
made  necessary  by  the  increase  of  the  congrega- 
tion. But  either  before  he  took  his  voyage,  or 
during  his  stay  in  England,  or  after  his  return  to 
Boston,  there  were  misunderstandings  between 
him  and  Mr  Myles,  which  grew  into  serious  di- 
vision, and  threatened  the  church's  peace  and 
prosperity.  Something  too,  which  I  do  not  clear- 
ly understand,  is  said  about  Mr  Bridge's  breaking 


62  PERIOD   THIRD. 

open  a  letter  written  by  Mr  Myles,  and  sending 
it  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  and  the 
Bishop  of  London  for  their  inspection,  thinking 
that  would  injure  Mr  Myles.  At  any  rate,  the 
Bishop  of  London  was  so  much  displeased  with 
Mr  Bridge,  and  as  it  would  seem,  with  the  church 
also,  that  he  sent  an  order  for  his  removal,  and 
deprived  the  church  of  part  of  the  one  hundred 
pounds  a  year  which  they  drew  from  the  royal 
bounty.  The  church  was  alarmed,  and  at  a  ves- 
try meeting  held  on  the  19th  of  August,  1705, 
voted  that  articles  of  agreement  and  peace  should 
be  drawn  up,  and  presented  to  the  two  ministers 
to  be  signed  by  them.  Such  a  paper  was  accor- 
dingly prepared,  consisting  of  a  preamble  and 
eight  articles,  which  was  signed  by  the  two 
ministers  on  the  22d.  By  this  agreement  they 
bound  themselves  not  to  join  with  any  persons  in 
doing,  saying  or  reporting  anything  that  should 
tend  to  the  damage  or  dishonor  of  either ;  that 
they  should  unite  in  promoting  the  welfare  of  the 
church,  and  that  they  should  not  officiate  anywhere 
but  in  their  own  chapel,  without  mutual  consent. 
Mr  Bridge  was  not  to  receive  any  perquisites, 
which  all  belonged  to  Mr  Myles  as  minister  of 
the  church,  and  were  appropriated  to  him  by  the 
bishop's  especial  order ;  and  neither  of  them 
ivas  to  warn  any  vestry  without  the  full  concur^ 


PERIOD   THIRD.  63 

rence  of  the  other.  These  were  the  main  arti- 
cles ;  and  a  copy  of  them  was  transmitted  to  the 
Bishop  of  London,  inclosed  in  a  letter  from  the 
wardens,  in  which  they  assure  his  lordship  that 
in  many  things  he  had  been  misinformed,  that 
Mr  Bridge  was  not  of  a  proud,  lofty  and  haughty, 
but  of  a  courteous  and  agreeable  deportment,  as 
became  his  profession  and  the  gospel,  and  that 
both  of  their  ministers  were  worthy  of  their 
esteem,  "  whether  in  regard  of  their  doctrine,  life, 
or  conversation."  They  speak  of  an  inclosed 
affidavit,  which  they  trust  will  clear  up  the  diffi- 
culty about  the  intercepted  letter,  and  humbly 
beg  the  continuance  both  of  the  salary  and  of  Mr 
Bridge's  stay  with  them. 

The  Bishop  of  London  at  this  time  was  Henry 
Compton,  who  held  that  see  from  the  year  1675 
to  1713,  in  which  year  he  died.  The  present 
cathedral  of  London  was  commenced  by  Sir 
Christopher  Wren,  about  the  time  of  his  induc- 
tion, and  he  lived  just  about  long  enough  to  see 
its  completion.  He  was  wise,  energetic,  moder- 
ate and  munificent.  "The  princesses  Mary,  and 
Anne,  (both  successively  queens  of  England) 
were  educated,  confirmed,  and  married  by  him, 
and  he  also  crowned  the  former,  together  with 
her  husband,  William  III."  "  He  warmly  inter- 
ested  himself  to   bring  about  the   revolution    of 


64  PERIOD   THIRD. 

1688,  and  was  afterwards  one  of  the  commission- 
ers for  the  reform  of  the  liturgy,"  in  which  en- 
terprise his  own  liberal  and  tolerant  intentions 
were  unhappily  defeated. 

From  such  a  bishop,  it  was  to  be  expected 
that  whatever  demanded  attention  in  the  way  of 
duty,  however  distant  it  might  be  from  the  place 
of  his  residence,  would  be  attended  to  in  a  proper 
manner.  In  answer  to  the  representations  of  the 
church  here,  he  sent  a  letter,  which  is  marked 
throughout  by  a  practical  good  sense,  joined  with 
good  feeling,  which  show  that  he  was  well  fitted 
for  his  responsible  office.  It  is  to  be  clearly  seen 
from  it,  that  he  was  not  a  man  to  be  trifled  with, 
and  that  having  authority,  he  was  determined  to 
exercise  it  in  a  steady  and  decided  manner,  and 
as  much  for  the  real  benefit  of  the  church  as  pos- 
sible. As  this  letter  may  give  us  some  idea  of 
the  way  in  which  our  predecessors  in  this  church 
used  to  be  governed,  and  as  it  is  itself  a  good 
letter,  from  a  distinguished  person,  I  make  no 
apology  for  giving  it  entire.  Fortunately  for  us, 
as  I  think,  we  now  govern  ourselves,  without  in- 
terference from  bishops  at  home  or  abroad  ;  but 
while  the  church  was  lawfully  under  such  authori- 
ty, it  could  hardly  have  had  a  better  overseer 
than  Henry  Compton,  Bishop  of  London.  "  The 
Copie  of  my  Lord  of  London's  Letter,"  say  the 
records,  "  is  as  ffollowet.h." 


PERIOD   THIRD.  65 

"  Gentlemen,  —  I  am  sorry  with  all  my  heart 
you  have  so  little  concerned  yourselves  for  the 
peace  of  the  church,  as  to  uphold  a  controversy 
which  may  so  easily  be  laid  asleep,  and  whilst 
these  two  gentlemen  are  together  upon  the  same 
place  I  do  not  see  how  it  ever  will  be  effected. 
As  to  your  imagining  that  I  might  too  easily  blame 
Mr  Bridge  concerning  the  letter  of  Mr  Myles 
which  was  broken  open,  I  can  assure  you  the 
first  copy  I  saw  of  it  was  sent  up  in  triumph  to 
London,  either  by  Mr  Bridge  or  his  order,  from 
Plymouth  or  Portsmouth,  soe  that  I  took  it  not 
at  second  hand  ;  though  I  blame  Mr  Nicholls  ex- 
tremely for  promoting  that  which  he  must  needs 
know  could  produce  nothing  but  animositie,  but 
can  by  noe  means  excuse  Mr  Bridge ;  and  in- 
deed I  hope  there  is  none  among  you  that  can 
approve  of  that  malitious  practice  of  spreading 
about  copies  of  this  letter,  which  must  needs 
breed  very  ill  blood  among  you.  But  I  say  this 
rather  for  my  own  justification,  than  that  I  would 
quarrell  any  further  with  Mr  Bridge  on  that  ac- 
count, and  therefore  I  shall  not  be  soe  earnest  for 
his  removall,  otherwise  than  that  I  am  convinced 
it  is  impossible  for  him  and  Mr  Myles  to  live  to- 
gether in  peace.  I  know  his  spirit  is  too  high  to 
submit  to  that  subordination  which  it  is  absolutely 
necessarie  he  should  comply  with  whilst  he  stayes 
5 


(y(j  PERIOD    THIRD. 

at  Boston,  soe  that  I  would  by  all  means  advise 
him  to  goe  to  Narragansetts,  where  he  may  have 
an  hundred  pounds  per  annum  sterling,  besides 
what  perquisites  he  may  make  upon  the  place, 
and  there  he  will  be  his  own  Master. 

"  You  must  likewise  give  me  leave  to  tell  you 
that  I  think  you  have  made  a  great  mistake  in  one 
of  the  articles  of  reconciliation  which  you  have 
drawn  up,  where  you  have  in  a  manner  sett  Mr 
Bridge  upon  an  equall  foot  with  Mr  Myles,  by 
making  the  call  of  a  Vestry  depend  upon  their 
joynt  consent,  whereas  Mr  Bridge  hath  nothing 
more  to  doe  in  the  Church  than  what  Mr  Myles 
shall  direct  him,  as  he  is  the  Curate  and  Assist- 
ant ;  wherefore  you  must  pardon  me,  if  after  all 
the  due  regard  I  have  for  you,  I  must  deale  soe 
plainly  with  you  as  to  tell  you  that  you  have  been 
carried  on  too  far  in  this  matter  by  some  that  have 
more  respect  of  persons  than  for  the  reall  good 
and  peace  of  the  church.  I  know  I  shall  be 
forced  at  last  to  recall  Mr  Bridge,  and  therefore 
I  wish  you  would  persuade  him  to  make  it  his 
owne  choice  to  retire  to  some  other  place,  where 
he  shall  find  me  his  sincere  friend,  notwithstand- 
ing all  that  has  been  said.  —  I  pray  God  direct 
you  for  the  best,  and  desire  you  would  believe 
me,  Gentlemen, 

1    "  Your  most  assured  friend  and  servant 

"H.  London. 


PERIOD    THIRB.  67 

"  Postcript.  —  I  forgot  to  give  you  a  more  par- 
ticular account  in  the  inclosed  of  Mr  Bridge's 
proceedings  in  that  letter  of  Mr  Myles;  that  he 
writt  from  the  Port  in  England,  before  he  went 
away,  to  Mr  Wessendunck,  to  take  care  to  com- 
municate that  same  letter,  or  the  copie,  to  my 
Ld.  Arch  Bp.  of  Canterbury,  and  myselfe  ;  which 
I  think  is  evidence  enough  of  his  concern  in  it. 
"  Fulham :  feb  :  12  :  1706.  H.  London." 
The  effect  produced  by  this  letter  may  be  seen 
from  the  following  record,  which  precedes  the 
copy  of  it. 

"  Boston,  Sept.  23.  1706.  Att  a  meeting  of 
the  Vestry  at  Mr  Paule  Dudley's,  his  Excellency 
being  present,  my  Lord  of  London's  letter  was 
read  relating  to  Mr  Bridge  his  removall  to  the 
Narrowgansetts  &c.  to  which  he  complied,  and 
wished  me,  Savill  Simpson*  to  tell  Mr  Myles 
that  he  left  the  Charge  of  the  Church  wholly  to 
his  care,  and  intended  to  goe  to  Narragansetts  in 
three  days." 

Thus  was  this  very  disagreeable  affair  termina- 
ted, affording,  most  probably,  some  matter  of 
triumph  to  the  many,  who,  as  the  wardens  in  their 
letter  to  the  Bishop  express  it,  waited  for  and 
would  have  greatly  rejoiced  at  the  halting  and 

*  Junior  warden  this  year. 


PERIOD   THIRD. 


destruction  of  the  episcopal  church.  We  are  not 
permitted,  happily,  to  believe  Mr  Bridge's  char- 
acter to  have  been  an  unworthy  one,  for  the  war- 
dens speak  of  him  with  regard  and  respect,  and 
the  Bishop  promises  to  him  the  continuance  of 
his  friendship ;  but  it  is  impossible  to  suppose, 
from  what  the  records  deliver  to  us,  that  his  con- 
nexion with  the  church  could  have  been  of  much 
service  to  it,  or  to  the  episcopal  cause. 


PERIOD  FOURTH. 

ARRIVAL  OF  MR   HARRIS. -CHAPEL  ENLARGED.  -  FIRST 
ORGAN .-  ATTEMPT  TO  MAKE  AMERICAN  BISHOPS. 


PRAISE   HIM    WITH     STRINGED     INSTRUMENTS   AND    ORGANS. 

Ps.  cl.  4. 

Mr  Myles,  being  left  without  an  assistant  by 
the  departure  of  Mr  Bridge  to  Rhode  Island, 
remained  alone  in  the  care  of  the  Church  about 
two  years.  Early  in  the  year  1709,  arrived  Mr 
Henry  Harris,  with  authority  from  the  Bishop 
of  London  to  take  Mr  Bridge's  vacated  place. 
The  letter  which  Mr  Harris  brought  with  him 
from  the  Bishop,  bears  the  marks  of  the  same 
strong  hand  which  penned  the  former  one  al- 
ready copied.  At  a  vestry  meeting  on  the  1st 
of  April,  this  year,  it  was  ordered,  upon  the 
reading  of  these  instructions,  "  that  the  same  be 
entered  verbatim  as  followeth,  viz1." 

"  Having  appointed  Mr  Harris  to  go  over  as- 
sistant to  the  Minister  at  Boston  ;  for  his  better 
satisfaction,  I  have  thought  fit  to  declare;  that 
as  he  is  not  to  go  under  the  absolute  command  of 


70  PERIOD    FOURTH. 

Mr  Myles,  yet  is  he  to  pay  a  respect  to  him  in 
all  reasonable  things,  and  take  an  equall  share 
with  him  in  supplying  the  Church,  but  not  to 
meddle  in  anything  that  relates  to  perquisites, 
whether  for  marriages,  bury  alls  or  Christenings, 
and  to  be  contented  with  what  is  alloted  him  from 
home,  and  by  all  means  to  avoid  the  insinuation 
of  any,  that  shall  attempt  to  make  matters  un- 
easy betwixt  him  and  Mr  Myles,  whom  I  do 
likewise  require  to  receive  this  his  assistant  with 
all  fair  and  good  usage,  and  that  they  both  con- 
spire into  so  good  an  understanding,  that  nothing 
may  creep  in  to  make  a  breach  between  them  : 
And  that  they  do  agree  to  relate  all  story es,  that 
shall  be  whispered  to  them,  publickly  in  the 
next  vestry  ;  that  such  little  make-bates  may  be 
discouraged  and  made  ashamed  of  such  base  be- 
haviour. And  therefore  I  desire  likewise  that 
this  paper  may  be  read  in  a  full  vestry,  that  they 
may  be  witnesses  of  your  sincere  conformity  to 
what  is  appointed.  I  do  also  declare  that  Mr 
Harris  shall  have  the  full  allowance  of  the  ap- 
pointed bounty,  by  Midsummer  next  come  twelve 
month  at  furthest,  as  not  being  yet  fully  informed 
to  what  degree,  and  upon  what  grounds  Mr 
Bridge  hath  committed  that  insolent  Riott  upon 
the  Church  of  Road  Island  :  which  so  soon  as 
I  am  ascertained  of,  I  intend  the  full  allowance 
shall  commence  from  that  time. 


PERIOD  FOURTH.  ^1 


«  Given  under  my  hand  this  Twenty  Eighth 

day  of  May.     1708. 

H  :  London." 

We  may  gather,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  from 
these  instructions,  a  principal  reason  of  the  form- 
er assistant's  discontent.     A  great  inequality,  by 
far  too   ^eat,  existed  between  him  and  the  rec- 
tor of  the  church.     Before  he  left  the  mother 
country,  he   could  easily  make  up  his  mmd  to 
take  a  curacy  abroad,  on  the  same  terms  of  in- 
feriority on  which  hundreds  of  his  brethren  took 
curacies  at  home  ;  but  when  he  came   to  New 
En-land,  and  began  his  duties  at  her  Majesty  s 
Chapel,  and  instead  of  being  kept  contented  by 
the  customs  of  the   place,  and  .the   example  of 
those  about  him,  saw  that  in  every  congregation- 
al church  which  supported  two  ministers,  they 
were  regarded  as  colleagues,  having  equal  rights, 
privileges  and  duties,  his  own  subordinate  situa- 
tion must  have  grown  every  day  more  irksome  to 
him    and  the  task  of  obedience  to  his  superior 
every  day  more  difficult.     It  was  not  in  human 
nature  to  rest  satisfied  with  such  a  condition.     It 
certainly  was  not  in  Mr  Bridge's  nature,  and  in 
the  sequel  we  may  have  cause  to  believe  that  it 
was  not  in  Mr  Harris's. 
'What  is  meant  by  the  violent  riot  committed 


72  PERIOD    FOURTH. 

by  Mr  Bridge  upon  the  church  of  Rhode  Island, 
alluded  to  by  the  Bishop  in  the  instructions 
above,  I  have  not  ascertained.* 

All  this  time  the  chapel  congregation  was 
steadily  increasing,  and  at  the  Easter  meeting  in 
1708,  it  was  "  agreed,  that  on  Whitsunmunday 
there  be  a  meeting  of  the  congregation  about  en- 
larging the  Queen's  Chappell."  The  work,  how- 
ever, seems  not  to  have  been  commenced  till  the 
year  1710,  when  a  subscription  was  raised  to 

*  Mr  Bridge  did  not  remain  long  in  Rhode  Island,  but  re- 
moved to  Rye  in  New  York,  where  he  was  again  settled  in 
the  ministry,  and  where  he  finished  his  uneasy  pilgrimage 
on  the  23d  of  May,  1719.  The  following  obituary  notice  is 
copied  from  the  "  Boston  News  Letter,"  a  weekly  paper, 
and  the  first  newspaper  published  in  Boston,  where  it  was 
commenced  in  the  year  1704.  The  date  of  this  number  is 
"June  1  to  8.     1719." 

"  We  have  an  account  from  Rye  in  the  government  of  New 
York,  of  the  death  of  the  Reverend  Mr  Christopher  Bridge, 
M.  A.  a  Presbyter  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  Minister  of 
the  Gospel  in  that  Place  ;  who  Died  on  Saturday  the  23d  of 
May  last :  He  was  formerly  for  many  years  together,  one 
of  the  Ministers  of  the  Church  of  England  in  Boston,  a 
Religious  and  Worthy  Man,  a  very  good  Scholar,  and  a  fine 
grave  Preacher,  his  performances  in  the  Pulpit  were  Solid, 
Judicious  and  Profitable,  his  Conversation  very  agreeable 
and  improving  :  And  though  a  strict  Church  Man  in  his 
principles,  yet  of  great  Respect  and  Charity  to  Dissenters, 
and  much  esteemed  by  them.  He  was  bred  at  the  Univer- 
sity of  Cambridge  in  England,  and  was  about  48  Years  oi 
Age  when  he  Died.     Very  much  lamented." 


PERIOD    FOURTH 


73 


effect  its   accomplishment.      It    amounted,    in- 
deed, to  a  rebuilding  of  the  church,  which  was 
enlarged  to  twice   its  original  size  ;  nor  was   it 
till  the  year  1713,  that  the  pillars,  capitals  and 
cornice  were   painted,  and  the  scaffoldings  were 
taken  down.     Places  were  assigned  anew  to  the 
proprietors,  and  each   person  paid  for  the  build- 
ing of  his  own  pew.     And  whereas  the  pews  had 
been  built  before,  according  to  the  usual  fashion, 
with  little  rails  or  banisters,  running  round  the 
top,  it  was   now   voted   that   they   should    "  be 
built  in  one    forme   without   banisters."       The 
pulpit  was  removed  from  its  former  situation  "  to 
the  next  pillar  at  the  East,  being  near  the  Cen- 
ter of  the  Church."     The  two  long  pews  front- 
ing the  pulpit  were  made  into  two  square  pews, 
one  for  Col.  Tailer,  Lieut.  Governor,  the  other 
for  Mr  Jekyll,  and  the   two   pews   behind  them 
were  made  into  one,  for   the  use  of  masters  of 
vessels  ;  and  the  pew  behind  that  was  appropri- 
ated to  the  accommodation  of  eight  old  men.    A 
shell  was  placed  over  the  south  door. 

A  clock  was  given  by  "  the  Gentlemen  of  the 
British  Society  ;"  and  a  more  important  present 
still,  that  of  an  organ,  demands  a  more  particu- 
lar notice  *  The  following  is  a  record  of  a  meet- 
ing held  in  consequence  of  the  bequest. 

*  The  clock  was  not  given  till  a  year  after  the  organ. 


74  PERIOD    FOURTH. 

"  At  a  meeting  of  the  gentlemen  of  the  Church 
this  3d  day  of  August,  1713,  referring  to  the 
Orgains  given  them  by  Thomas  Brattle  Esq. 
deceased,  Voted  that  the  Orgins  be  accepted 
by  the  Church,  and  that  Mr  Myles  answer  Mr 
William  Brattle's  letter  concerning  the  same." 

A  few  days  afterwards,  the  organ,  or  organs,  as 
that  instrument  seems  to  have  then  been  com- 
monly called,*  was  brought  into  the  church, 
though  it  was  not  put  up  till  the  following 
March. f  A  Mr  Price  was  engaged  to  be  the 
organist,  but  only  temporarily  till  one  could  be 
obtained  from  England ;  and  a  contribution  was 
raised  from  sundry  "  well  disposed  gentlemen 
and  other  persons,"  of  whose  names  a  list  is 
given,  "  towards  the  maintenance  and  support  of 
the  Orgins,"  which  amounted  to  between  forty- 
three  and  forty  four  pounds.  The  wardens  were 
instructed  at  a  vestry  meeting,  to  write  to  Col. 
Redknap,  their  agent  in  London,  to  entreat  of 
him  his  favor  in  going  to  Mr  Edward  Enston, 
living  next  door  to  Mr  Masters's  on  Tower  Hill, 
to  inquire  into  his  ability  as  an  organist,  and  to  offer 

*  It  may  have  been  called  so  only  by  the  ignorant,  of 
which  description  was  the  warden  who  made  the  entry,  as 
appears  by  his  spelling,  which  I  have  not  always  literally 
copied,  for  fear  that  the  original  might  not  be  understood. 

t  "To  Cash  payd  forbringin  the  Orgins,  10s." 


PERIOD    FOURTH.  75 

him  the  situation  at  the  Chapel,  with  a  salary  of 
£30  per  annum,  colonial  currency,  "  which," 
they  observe,  "  with  dancing,  music,  &c,  they 
doubt  not  will  be  sufficient  encouragement." 
Col.  Redknap  attended  to  the  commission  at 
once,  and  writes,  in  a  letter  dated  April  27, 
1714,  that  he  had  engaged  Mr  Enstone  or  In- 
stone,  to  go  over  to  Boston  on  the  proposed  sal- 
ary, on  the  condition  that  £10  sterling  should  be 
paid  him  for  his  and  his  wife's  passage  ;  that  he 
would  probably  sail  about  the  end  of  July,  and 
in  the  meantime  was  to  acquaint  himself  with 
the  manner  of  keeping  an  organ  in  repair.  In 
July  he  writes  again,  and  sends  over  a  copy  of 
the  articles  of  agreement  made  with  Mr  Enstone, 
but  says  that  he  will  not  be  able  to  sail  so  soon 
as  was  expected.  Another  letter,  dated  Sept. 
7,  same  year,  mentions  Mr  Enstone  as  having 
taken  his  passage,  and  speaks  of  him  as  "  a 
person  of  a  sober  life  and  conversation,  and  well 
qualified  for  what  he  hath  undertaken."  He 
entered  on  his  duties  here  as  organist,  about 
Christmas,  1714,  till  which  time  Mr  Price  had 
been  serving  for  the  same  salary.  This  interest- 
ing business  was  thus  happily  concluded  and  the 
music  of  the  Chapel  must  now  have  been  a 
great  and  attractive,  though  to  many  a  very 
offensive  novelty  ;  for  there  is  no  doubt  that  this 


76  PERIOD     FOURTH. 

organ  was  the  first  ever  heard  in  public  worship 
in  all  New  England.* 

This  year,  1714,  Queen  Anne  died,  and 
George  I.  ascended  the  throne  of  Great  Britain  ; 
in  consequence  of  which  event,  the  Chapel 
was  again  called  King's  Chapel.  The  year  be- 
fore, Henry  Compton  died,  and  John  Robinson 
was  created  Bishop  of  London. 

At  this  period  the  cause  of  episcopacy  had 
made  rapid  strides,  and  its  advocates  were  un- 
wearied in  their  efforts  to  advance  it.  The  in- 
crease of  episcopalian  strength  was  owing  in  part, 
it  is  likely,  to  a  weariness  which  some  began  to 
feel  of  the  rigid  discipline  of  the  puritan  church- 
es, but  chiefly  to  the  continually  multiplying 
numbers  of  emigrants  from  the  mother  country, 
attracted  here  by  various  interests,  and  in  com- 
munion with  the  established  church  at  home. 
The  exertions  which  were  made  by  the  episco- 
palians of  Boston,  and  other  places  in  the  colo- 
nies, were  greatly  aided  and  inspirited  from  Eng- 
land, by  the  influence  and  pecuniary  aid  of  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in 
Foreign  Parts,  which  was  established  b  y  charter 
from  King  William  in  1701.  In  October,  1712, 
the    Hon.    Francis   Nicholson  having   been   ap- 

*  Tate  and  Brady's  version  of  the  Psalms  was   introduced 
into  the  worship  of  the  Chapel  about  this  time, 


PERIOD    FOURTH.  77 

pointed  her  Majesty's  commissioner  in  North 
America  for  several  purposes,  the  Society,  of 
which  he  was  a  member,  furnished  him  with  an 
instrument,  dated  the  17th  of  the  same  month 
and  year,  by  which  he  was  requested,  in  sub- 
mission to  the  royal  prerogative,  and  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  the  Bishop  of  London,  to  make  inquiry, 
as  he  should  see  fit,  "  of  and  concerning  such  of 
the  Society's  Missionaries,  Schoolmasters,  and 
Catechists  with  respect  to  the  good  purposes 
and  designs  of  the  Society  relating  to  them,  and 
of  the  present  state  of  the  Churches,  Glebes, 
Parsonage-Houses,  and  Libraries  (sent  by  the 
Society)  within  all  and  every  such  part  and  parts 
of  Her  Majesty's  Dominions  and  Countries  as 
are  comprized  in  the  Commission  now  granted 
to  the  said  Francis  Nicholson  from  her  Majesty 
for  the  purposes  therein  mentioned.  To  the  end 
the  said  Francis  Nicholson  may  give  and  trans- 
mit to  the  said  Society  a  full,  particular,  and  im- 
partial account  thereof,  that  the  said  Society  may 
be  the  better  enabled  to  discharge  the  great  trust 
reposed  in  them,  the  advancement  of  the  glory 
of  God,  the  Honour  of  her  Majesty,  and  spirit- 
ual good  and  welfare  of  her  Subjects  in  those 
Parts." 

There  is  a  record  in  the  old  book,  which  gives 
us  an  instance  of  Nicholson's  exercise  of  authori- 


78  PERIOD   FOURTH. 

ty  as  Commissioner,  and  is  also  evidence  of  the 
existence  of  a  church  in  Braintree  over  which 
the  wardens  and  vestry  of  Queen's  Chapel  had 
some  control.  It  is  a  petition  of  Thomas  Eager, 
clerk,  to  his  Excellency  Francis  Nicholson,  Esq. 
showing  that  the  petitioner  had  been  appointed 
by  the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel,  to 
officiate  as  minister  at  Braintree,  but  had  found 
himself  very  uneasy  there  with  the  people,  and 
therefore  desired  to  be  dismissed,  and  to  have 
the  arrears  of  his  salary  paid  him,  that  he  might 
discharge  his  debts  and  remove  elsewhere.  This 
petition  was  referred  by  Gov.  Nicholson  to 
the  gentlemen  of  the  Chapel  vestry,  who  decid- 
ed that  it  was  for  the  interest  of  the  church  that 
Mr  Eager  should  be  dismissed.  This  was  in 
December,  1713. 

But  the  matter  to  which,  as  being  of  the  high- 
est moment,  the  Society  devoted  their  most 
earnest  attention,  and  in  the  prosecution  of  which 
they  were  warmly  seconded  by  the  congrega- 
tion of  the  Chapel,  was  the  establishment  and 
endowment  of  Bishoprics  in  the  colonies.  The 
design  met  with  the  approbation  of  Queen  Anne, 
and  though,  when  it  was  known  here,  it  created 
a  great  ferment  among  the  people,  it  can  hardly 
be  doubted  that,  had  it  not  been  for  the  Queen's 
death,  it  would  have  succeeded,  and  this  country 


PERIOD    FOURTH.  79 

would  have  witnessed,  what  in  the  event  it  never 
did  witness,  the  settlement  in  its  borders  of  Bish- 
ops of  the  English  Church.  This  attempt  de- 
serves, as  one  of  the  curious  and  interesting 
events  connected  with  the  history  of  our  church 
and  of  colonial  episcopacy,  more  than  a  passing 
notice. 

The  preamble  of  the  "  Society's  Representa- 
tion to  her  Majesty  for  the  sending  Bishops  into 
America,"  sets  forth  "  That  as  it  hath  pleased 
the  Divine  Goodness  to  dispose  your  Majesties 
Royall  Heart  for  the  establishing  of  Bishops  and 
Bishopricks  within  your  Majesties  Plantations  or 
Colonies,  and  other  your  Majesties  Dominions  of 
America,  in  like  manner  as  the  Church  of  Christ 
is  settled  for  Ecclesiastical  Government  in  En*?- 

o 

land  and  Ireland,  pursuant  to  the  Apostolical 
form  and  order  in  all  Christian  Nations  where 
Bishops  have  been  deemed  the  true  Successors 
of  the  Apostles,  and  as  is  most  agreeable  to  the 
inclinations  of  many  of  the  present  Inhabitants  of 
those  places,  whence  there  have  been  made  for 
these  Eleven  Years  past  earnest  application  for 
such  Bishops  to  preside  amongst  them,  that  they 
may  ordain  some,  Confirm  more,  and  Bless  all 
by  the  most  Orderly  Administration  of  the  Holy 
Word  and  Sacrament."  The  Society  then  pro- 
ceed  to    lay   before   her   Majesty    a   complete 


80  PERIOD    FOURTH. 

scheme  of  transatlantic  hierarchy,  in  which  they 
represent  it  as  their  opinion  after  mature  deliber- 
ation, that  it  is  expedient  that  four  Bishops  be 
sent  as  soon  as  conveniently  may  be,  "  two  for 
the  care  and  superintendency  of  the  Islands,  and 
as  many  for  the  Continent,  with  the  appointment 
of  fifteen  hundred  pounds  per  annum  for  each  of 
the  former,  and  one  thousand  pounds  per  annum 
for  each  of  the  latter,  as  the  nature  of  their  Dio- 
cesses  seems  to  require  in  case  the  Sees  of  the 
former  be  settled,  as  is  humbly  proposed  by  the 
said  Society,  the  one  of  them  at  Barbados,  for 
itself  and  the  Leward  Islands,  the  other  at  Ja- 
maica, for  itself  with  the  Bahama  and  Bermuda 
Islands  ;  those  for  the  Continent,  the  one  of  them 
at  Burlington  in  New  Jersey  (where  the  Society 
has  been  at  six  hundred  pounds  charge  and  up- 
wards to  purchase  a  very  convenient  house  and 
land  for  his  residence)  for  a  District  extending 
from  the  East  side  of  Delaware  River  to  the  ut- 
most bounds  of  your  Majesties  Dominions  East- 
ward, including  Newfoundland  ;  the  other  at 
Williamsburg  in  Virginia,  for  a  District  extending 
from  the  west  side  of  Delaware  River  to  the  ut- 
most bounds  of  your  Majesties  Dominions  West- 
ward." The  Representation  concludes  with  a 
particular  exposition  of  the  ways  and  means  by 
which  the  above  Bishops  and  Bishoprics  are 
proposed  to  be  supported. 


PERIOD  FOURT  H.  81 

As  was  observed  before,  this  representation  of 
the  Society  was  followed  up  most  cordially  by 
the  Congregation  of  the  Chapel,  who,   by  their 
ministers,  wardens  and  vestry,  presented  an  ad- 
dress to  the  Queen  on  the  subject.     In  this  ad- 
dress they  say,  that   nothing  can  tend  more  to 
make  religion  flourish  among  them  than  the  com- 
pletion of  the  Society's  scheme  in  all  its  details, 
and  humbly  entreat  her  Majesty  to  carry  it  into 
execution.     In  an  address  to  the  Bishop  of  Lon- 
don, written  at  the  same  time,*  they  enter  into  a 
brief  history  of  their  church  ;  mention  that  the 
congregation  is  very  much  increased  and  consists 
of  about  eight  hundred    persons  ;  speak  of  the 
late    enlargement  of  the   Chapel,  and   pray  his 
Lordship's  good  offices  that  the  money  from  the 
privy   purse    may  be  constantly   and   regularly 
paid.     These  addresses  were    entrusted  to  the 
care  of  Col.  Redknap,  their  agent  in  London  ; 
who  writes  word,  the  following  April,  that  they 
were  delivered  faithfully,  and  that  the  gentlemen  of 
the  Society,  being  fully  persuaded  of  the  neces- 
sity of  having  Bishops  sent  to  America,  were 
resolved  to  join   their  Address  to  those  of  New 
York,  New  England  and  Rhode   Island  to  her 
Majesty,  that  she  would  be  pleased  to  appoint  some 

*  December  8,  1713. 

6 


82  PERIOD  FOURTH. 

proper  person  for  that  work  so  soon  as  possible. 
"  I  did  speak/'  he  continues,  "  to  several  of  the 
members  of  the  Society,  particularly  to  my 
Lord  of  London  and  Clarendon,  that  they  would 
be  pleased  to  consider  of  our  Northern  parts  be- 
fore Jamaica  or  Barbados,  there  being  a  greater 
necessity  for  having  one  amongst  us  where  Whigs 
and  fanaticks  swarme,  than  in  those  parts." 

Hut  all  the  Societies  and  Bishops  in  the  world 
could  not  arrest  the  warrant  of  death,  even  though 
it  was  issued  against  a  queen.  The  decease  of 
Anne  put  a  stop,  for  the  time,  to  the  proceed- 
ings relating  to  American  bishoprics,  and  though 
the  plan  was  presented  and  urged  in  succeeding 
reigns,  it  was  never  accomplished,  and  perhaps 
never  came  so  near  accomplishment  as  at  this 
first  trial. 

The  next  occurrences  of  importance  in  the 
history  of  the  church,  are,  Mr  Harris's  voyage  to 
England,  the  death  of  Mr  Myles,  and  the  arrival 
of  Mr  Price  as  his  successor. 


PERIOD    FIFTH. 

DEATH  OF    MR   MYLES.  —  ARRIVAL    OF    MR    PRICE. -IN- 
CREASE  OF   EPISCOPAL    CHURCHES. 


JOUR  FATHERS,  WHERE    ARE   THEY?    AND    THE    PROPHETS, 
DO    THEY     LIVE    FOREVER? — Zech.     \.  5. 


In  the  winter  of  1714,  Mr  Harris  the  Assis- 
tant, at  the  suggestion  of  General  Nicholson,  took 
a  voyage  to  England,  having  previously  obtained 
the  consent  of  the  church.  He  went  partly  to 
attend  to  some  affairs  of  his  own,*  and  partly  to 
make  application  to  the  Society  for  Propagating 
the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  for  ministers  to 
supply  two  new  Episcopal  churches,  one  in  New- 
bury, the  other  in  Marblehead.  So  it  appears 
there  were  now  three  churches,  if  no  more,  which 
had  sprung  from,  and  were  in  a  great  measure 
dependent  upon,  the   King's  Chapel ;    that  in 

*  There  was  a  heavy  tax  on  Mr  Harris's  allowance  of 
£100,  which  he  wanted  to  be  relieved  from,  a9  also  to  have 
some  arrears  paid  him.  Through  the  assistance  of  Bi3hop 
Robinson,  he  succeeded,  but  not  till  after  his  return. 


84  PERIOD  FIFTH. 

Braintree,  and  the  two  just  mentioned.  An  ad- 
dress of  congratulation  to  George  I.  on  his  acces- 
sion, which  was  sent  about  this  time,  and  probably 
by  the  hands  of  Mr  Harris,  was  signed  by  the 
members  of  the  churches  "  at  Boston,  Newberry 
and  Marblehead."  A  "  publick  testimonial,"  or 
letter  of  recommendation  was  furnished  to  that 
same  gentleman  by  his  church,  in  which  they  say 
that  he  has  resided  among  them  about  six  years, 
in  all  which  time  they  had  observed  him  "  faith- 
ful in  the  discharge  of  his  duty,  and  regular  and 
inoffensive  in  his  life  and  conversation,  by  which 
he  has  gained  the  esteem  and  love  of  the  whole 
church." 

The  congregation  were  not  willing  that  Mr 
Harris  should  stay  away  long  from  them,  and 
therefore  the  Bishop  sent  him  back  in  the  summer 
of  1715.  He  arrived  late  in  the  year,  and  was 
received  by  his  people  with  joy ;  but  misunder- 
standings afterwards  arose  between  them. 

The  cause  of  episcopacy,  continually  advancing 
as  we  have  seen,  in  Massachusetts,  was  suddenly 
and  remarkably  developed  at  this  period  in  the 
neighboring  colony  of  Connecticut.  Mr  Timothy 
Cutler,  President  of  Yale  College,*  and  Messrs 

*  He  was  the  first  resident  rector  or  president  of  that  in- 
stitution. 


PERIOD   FIFTH.  85 

Johnson  *  and  Brown,  tutors  in  the  same  institu- 
tion, had  convinced  themselves  of  the  invalidity 
of  Presbyterian  or  Congregational  ordination,  and 
the  impropriety  of  public  extempore  prayer,  as 
also  of  the  apostolical  authority  of  the  English 
Church  and  the  superior  beauty  and  advantages 
of  its  Liturgy,  and  in  the  year  1722  came  to 
Boston,  to  take  passage  for  England,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  being  there  invested  with  holy  orders. 
Mr  Brown  died  in  England.  The  two  other  gen- 
tlemen, after  effecting  their  object,  returned  to 
America  the  next  year.  Dr  Johnson  took  charge 
of  a  small  Episcopal  church,  then  the  only  one, 
in  Connecticut,  and  Dr  Cutler  became  the  first 
rector  of  the  North  or  Christ  Church  in  Boston. 
This,  the  second  episcopal  church  in  the  town, 
had  been  built  while  he  was  abroad.  The  design 
had  been  greatly  encouraged  and  forwarded  by 
a  subscription  of  the  congregation  of  King's  Cha- 
pel, and  was  undertaken,  according  to  the  pre- 
amble of  the  subscription  paper,  because  "  the 
church  of  England  at  the  south  part  of  Boston,  is 
not  large  enough  to  contain  all  the  people  that 
would  come  to  it."  The  corner  stone  of  Christ 
Church  was  laid  by  the  Rev.  Mr  Myles,  on  the 

*  Mr,  afterwards  Dr  Samuel  Johnson,  was  at  the  time  of 
his  resolution  to  obtain  orders,  minister  of  a  congregational 
church  in  West  Haven.  —  Chandler's  Life  of  Johnson. 


bO  PERIOD   FIFTH. 

15th  of  April,  1723,  and  was  opened  for  public 
worship  by  Dr  Cutler,  on  the  29th  of  Decem- 
ber. 

In  the  summer  of  1727  Mr  Myles  was  obliged, 
through  illness,  to  cease  from  his  duties  at  the 
Chapel,  where  his  portion  of  the  services  was 
performed  by  a  Mr  Watts.  The  next  February 
he  directed  a  letter  "  to  the  Parishioners  of  the 
King's  Chapel  at  Boston  in  New  England,"  as 
follows  : 

"  Gentlemen,  —  Inasmuch  as  I  am  at  present 
in  a  very  low  and  languishing  condition,  and  God 
only  knows  when  I  shall  recover  my  health,  so 
as  to  be  able  to  perform  the  Duties  of  my  Holy 
Function,  I  therefore  most  earnestly  intreat  you 
speedily  to  find  out  some  method  to  procure  me 
a  Curate  from  England,  who  may  come  over  as 
soon  as  may  be  ;  and  in  so  doing  you  will  oblige 
your  very  weak  and  afflicted  but  faithful  Friend 
■ — Samuel  Myles. 

Boston  N.  E.  Feb.  2nd  :  1727-8." 

In  the  beginning  of  March  Mr  Myles  died.* 
He  may  be  considered  the  first  rector  of  the 
Chapel,  though  not  of  the  Society,  because  Mr 
RatclifFe  left  Boston  soon  after  the  Chapel  was 

*  The  expenses  of  his  funeral  were  nearly  £200,  and 
were  defrayed  by  the  church. 


PERIOD   FIFTH  .  "87 

built.     With  the  exception  of  his  voyage  to  Eng- 
land,  and   occasional  services    rendered  to   the 
church  at  Marblehead,  he  officiated  constantly 
at  the  Chapel,  from  its  opening  till  within  a  few 
months  of  his  decease,  a  period  of  nearly  forty 
years.     To  judge  from  the  steady  increase  cf  his 
congregation,  he  must  have  been  a  worthy  and 
pious  man  and  an  acceptable  preacher.     His  suc- 
cessful mission  to  England,  shows  him   to  have 
been  prudent  and  energetic.     He  certainly  was 
not  very  happy  with   either  of  his  assistants,  but 
the  nature  of  the  relation  between  them  suffi- 
ciently  accounts  for  this  ;  and  though  he  may 
have  committed  no  aggression  or  wrong,  he  pro- 
bably maintained  all  his  rights.     He  lived  peace- 
ably and  usefully  with  his  congregation,  much  of 
whose  prosperity  was  owing  to  his  exertions,  and 
which  continued  to  flourish  without  intermission 
under  his  equable  care,  till  he  was  called,  as  we 
may  trust,  to  higher  services  in  a  holier  temple. 
On  his  decease,  his  people  paid  every  mark  of 
respect  to  his  memory,  but  were   divided  among 
themselves  with  regard  to  a  successor.     There 
was  a  party  in  favor  of  Mr  Harris,  but  they  were 
a    minority.      The   larger   portion   were   much 
offended  with  him,  and  were  opposed  to  his  being 
either  rector  or  curate.     The  causes  of  this  op- 
position  I  am  not  enabled   by  the   records   to 


88  PERIOD   FIFTH. 

determine.  They  could  not  have  affected  his 
moral  character,  nor  could  the  opposition  have 
been  carried  to  any  extreme  of  virulence,  because 
he  all  the  time  officiated  at  the  Chapel,  and  con- 
tinued so  to  do,  by  vote  of  the  congregation,  till 
his  own  decease. 

Another  difficulty  was  raised  respecting  the 
right  of  presentation  to  the  rectorship  of  the 
Chapel.  The  congregation  were  afraid  that  the 
Bishop  of  London  would  claim  it,  whereas  they 
insisted  on  its  belonging  to  themselves,  and  voted 
to  defend  it  at  any  expense  against  any  who 
might  dispute  it.  Their  agent  in  this  business  in 
London,  was  Mr  Thomas  Sandford.  He  had  sev- 
eral interviews  with  the  Bishop,  in  some  of  which 
he  was  accompanied  by  Mr  Charles  Apthorp  who 
was  then  in  England,  and  an  amicable  settlement 
was  the  result.  Even  on  his  first  visit  to  the 
Bishop,  the  latter  told  him  that  he  did  not  pre- 
tend to  the  right  of  presentation,  but  thought 
that  it  was  in  the  congregation  who  supported  the 
minister ;  and  it  was  agreed  that  his  lordship 
should  recommend,  some  fit  person  as  rector,  who 
should  be  the  person  whom  Mr  Sandford,  as  the 
agent  of  the  congregation,  should  present  to  his 
Lordship  for  his  license.  Accordingly  Mr  Roger 
Price  was  recommended,  presented,  and  licensed. 


PERIOD   FIFTH.  89 

The  Bishop*  says  of  him,  in  a  letter  written  in 
April,  11*29,  "He  has  been  long  known  to 
me,  and  is  one  whom  I  am  willing  to  en- 
trust with  the  power  of  commissary  for  in- 
specting the  lives  and  manners  of  the  clergy,  if 
he  succeed  in  that  place  ;  and  I  think  a  better 
service  cannot  be  done  the  congregation  than  the 
inducing  both  parties  to  unite  in  him." 

The  account  of  the  new  rector's  induction  is 
truly  a  tale  of  old  times  to  us,  and  must  impress 
every  reflecting  mind  with  a  sense  of  the  changes 
which  a  century  has  produced  on  this  spot. 

"  At  a  meeting  of  the  Vestry  in  King's  Chapel 
on  the  25.  June,  1729, 

"  Present, 

William  Handle,      >  ni       z   T^     7 
-„r  0  >  Church  wardens. 

William  speakman,  ) 

James  Stevens,  Esq.  John  Checkley, 

George  Cradock,  Benjamin    Walker, 

Joshua  Wroe,  Samuel     Grainger, 

George  Stewart,  Robert  Skinner, 

Jonathan  Pue  ,Esq.  Thomas  Creese,  Junr. 

Thomas  Child,  Thomas  Holker. 
Thomas  Wallis. 

"  About  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the 
Rev.  Mr  Roger  Price  was  conducted  into  Kind's 

*  Edmund  Gibson  was  then  Bishop  of  London. 


90  PERIOD   FIFTH. 

Chapel  by  the  Rev.  Mr  Henry  Harris,  it  being 
a  few  hours  after  the  arrival  of  the  Rev.  Mr 
Price,  and  a  letter  from  Mr  Thomas  Sandford  to 
the  Committee  was  read,  importing  that  the  Rev. 
Mr  Roger  Price  was  the  person  he  had  present- 
ed to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  by  virtue  of 
the  power  devolved  upon  him  by  the  votes  of 
the  Congregation  of  the  13th  March,  1727-8. 
Whereupon  the  Rev.  Mr  Price  produced  the 
following  Licence  and  Certificate,  reading  them 
in  the  Church,  and  then  delivered  them  to  the 
Church  Wardens  to  be  recorded  in  the  Church 
Book/'' 

Here  follow  copies  of  the  Bishop's  Licence  in 
Latin,  and  Mr  Price's  declaration  in  English  to 
conform  to  the  Liturgy,  duly  sealed  and  signed. 
Then  the  account  proceeds. 

"  These  above  being  read,  the  Rev.  Mr  Henry 
Harris,  the  Church  Wardens,  the  Vestry-men, 
and  the  people  who  were  present,  all  went  out 
of  the  Church,  the  Church  Wardens  at  the  door 
delivering  the  key  of  the  Church  to  the  Rev. 
Mr  Price,  who  locking  himself  in  the  Church, 
tolled  the  bell,  and  then  unlocked  the  door  of 
the  Church,  receiving  the  Church  Wardens  and 
Vestry  men  into  the  Church  again,  who  wished 
him  joy  upon  his  having  possession  of  the  Church. 


PERIOD    FIFTH.  91 

—  Then  the  Rev.  Mr  Price  ordered  the  Clerk 
to  give  public  warning  in  the  Church  upon  the 
Sunday  following,  that  the  Congregation  meet  in 
the  Church  next  Wednesday,  at  eleven  of  the 
clock  in  the  Forenoon." 

This  ceremony  was  in  accordance  with  the 
customs  of  the  English  Church  ;  but  though  it 
was  gratifying  to  many  of  the  Chapel  congrega- 
tion, and  met  with  open  opposition  from  none, 
there  were  yet  many  who  did  not  in  the  least 
relish  it,  for  a  republican  spirit  was  even  now 
working  in  this  most  royal  and  loyal  church. 
There  were  many  who  preferred  to  come  to  the 
King's  Chapel,  who  yet  were  not  thorough  Eng- 
lish churchmen.  They  had  the  congregation- 
al notions  respecting  their  property,  and  could 
with  difficulty  agree  that  Mr  Price  should  own, 
even  in  form,  what  they  had  paid  for.  They 
had  a  dislike,  also,  to  the  whole  proceeding  of 
foreign  presentation  to  the  Bishop.  These  sen- 
timents spread  and  prevailed  in  the  church  more 
and  more. 

Mr  Harris  survived  the  arrival  of  Mr  Price 
but  a  few  months.  He  died  on  the  16th  of  the 
following  October;  and  it  may  serve  to  show 
the  terms  on  which  the  church  and  he  had  lived 
together  for  a  few  years  past,  to  state,  what  b 


92  PERIOD   FIFTH. 

unpleasant  to  state  in  the  solemn  connexion  of 
death,  that  more  than  a  year  after  his  decease, 
the  congregation  voted  that  no  money  should  be 
paid  out  of  the  church  stock  toward  defraying 
the  charge  of  burying  him,  though  they  had 
granted  an  expensive  funeral  to  Mr  Myles.  His 
life,  indeed,  for  the  last  years  of  it,  must  have 
been  but  a  "  fitful  fever,"  and  whatever  were  the 
exciting  causes  of  it,  or  whoever  was  most  to 
blame  for  it,  himself  or  others,  it  is  enough  now 
to  know,  that  "  after  it  he  slept  well."  This  is 
the  universal  termination,  and  it  is  a  quiet  one. 
And,  truly,  as  I  turn  over  the  yellow  leaves  of  our 
records,  and  read  the  lines  of  faded  ink,  and  note 
the  successive  variations  of  orthography  and  style, 
and  the  constant  changes  of  handwriting,  and  see 
names,  some  familiar  and  some  forgotten,  of  min- 
isters, governors,  wardens  and  vestrymen,  appear- 
ing and  then  disappearing,  the  representatives  of 
generations  which  have  here  "  kept  holy  time," 
the  fleeting  nature  of  our  life,  with  all  its  scenes 
and  occupations,  is  revealed  to  me  with  more 
than  a  common  distinctness,  and  men  and  ages 
seem  to  melt  away  before  me  like  the  flakes  of 
snow  in  spring-time,  which  dissolve  as  they  feel 
the  earth.  And  when  I  have  perused  votes,  ex- 
pressive of  division  or  estrangement,  and  think 
that  the  hands  which  were  held  up  to  pass  them, 


PERIOD    FIFTH.  93 

and  the  hands  which  were  employed  in  record- 
ing those,  are  now  turned  to  dust,  and  that  some 
of  those  who  were  so  active  and  so  heated  then 
are  now  sleeping  coldly  in  the  green  yard  beside 
us,  or  beneath  this  very  floor,*  I  seem  to  hear 
the  voice,  the  "  still  small  voice  "  of  peace.  It 
speaks  of  love  ;  it  speaks  from  the  grave  ;  it 
speaks  to  those  for  whom  the  grave  is  waiting  — 
and  alas  for  us  if  it  speaks  in  vain. 

Immediately  after  Mr  Harris's  death,  the  con- 
gregation applied,  as  usual,  to  the  Bishop  of 
London,  for  some  one  to  succeed  him.  The 
Rev.  Thomas  Harward  was  accordingly  sent; 
and  the  Bishop,  in  a  letter  to  Mr  Price,  dated 
July  3d,  1730,  thus  speaks  of  him.  "  Mr 
Harward,  who  comes  over  to  succeed  Mr  Harris, 
is  well  recommended  by  the  neighboring  clergy 
in  Surrey,  where  he  has  been  an  incumbent  for 
many  years,  near  Guilford  ;  and  their  recommen- 
dation is  confirmed  by  the  Bishop  of  Winchester, 
their  Diocesan,  according  to  the  method  I  use  for 
receiving  due  satisfaction  concerning  the  Charac- 
ters of  such  Persons  as  offer  themselves  for  mis- 
sionaries. He  is  directed  to  behave  himself  to- 
wards you  with  all  due  respect,  as  his  Superior, 

*  There  are  family  tombs  under  the  Chapel,  and  a  large 
one,  called  the  Stranger's  Tomb,  under  the  tower. 


94  PERIOD  FIFTH. 

and  not  to  intermeddle  in  any  matter,  but  what 
shall  appear  to  belong  to  him  as  Lecturer,  But 
it  is  impossible  for  me  to  descend  to  particulars, 
since  I  do  not  know  what  share  of  duty  properly 
belongs  to  him  as  such.  If  you  can  fix  that  mat- 
ter between  yourselves,  with  the  advice  and  as* 
sistance  of  some  serious  persons  of  the  Congrega- 
tion, I  shall  be  ready  to  ratify  it,  that  it  may  be 
a  rule  to  all  future  Ministers  and  Lecturers  of 
that  Church." 

Mr  Price  received  at  the  same  time  from  the 
Bishop  his  Commission  as  Commissary  ;  an  of- 
fice which  had  been  created  for  the  sake  of  the 
English  Church  in  America,  to  answer  the  pur- 
poses in  some  measure,  of  the  episcopal  function 
and  dignity.  It  was  a  kind  of  vicarage  under  the 
Bishop,  invested  with  a  superintending  authority 
from  the  Bishop,  and  subject  to  his  control. 
Other  Commissaries  beside  Mr  Price  had  been 
appointed  for  other  parts  of  the  country.  "  I 
also  send  you,"  says  Bishop  Gibson,  "  three 
copies  of  the  Directions  I  have  drawn,  for  all  the 
Commissarys  in  the  Plantations,  in  order  to  their 
proceeding  against  irregular  Clergymen,  which 
I  hope  you  will  have  no  occasion  to  carry  into 
practice." 

Of  Mr  Har ward,  the  assistant,  or  lecturer,  or 
king's  chaplain,  as  he  was  indifferently  termed, 


PERIODFIFTH.  95 

we  hear  nothing  in  connexion  with  the  Chapel, 
but  that  not  long  after  his  arrival  he  refused  to 
join  with  a  Committee  appointed  by  the  united 
vestries  of  King's  Chapel  and  Christ  Church,  in 
drawing  up  a  memorial  to  the  Bishop  of  London, 
and  a  petition  to  the  King,  respecting  what  were 
called  "  the  sufferings  of  the  Churchmen  in  this 
Province." 

The  sufferings  of  the  Churchmen !  What  a 
change,  and  what  a  retribution  !  Think  of  the 
days  of  Archbishop  Laud.  Think  of  the  "  suf- 
ferings "  of  the  old  puritans.  And  think,  and 
think  again,  how  unjust,  how  blind  are  pains  and 
penalties  and  all  kinds  of  coercion  in  matters  of 
religion.  History  teaches  nothing  more  plainly 
than  this  ;  and  it  teaches  nothing  more  impor- 
tant than  this,  or  more  necessary  to  be  learned, 
and  got  by  heart ;  and  yet  how  slowly  it  has 
been  learned,  and  with  how  little  heartiness  have 
its  truth  and  necessity  been  accepted.  The  suf- 
ferings complained  of,  arose  directly  from  the  ope- 
ration of  the  laws  of  the  Colony.  Members  of 
the  Church  of  England  were  distrained  and  im- 
prisoned for  not  paying  towards  the  building  of 
Congregational,  or  what  they  termed  Dissenting 
meeting-houses,  and  the  support  of  Dissenting 
teachers.  Application  was  made  for  redress 
to  the  "  Great  and  General  Court  ;  "  and  the 


96  PERIOD    FIFTH. 

Court  being  backward  in  affording  redress,  the 
united  churches  employed  counsel  to  prosecute 
their  claims  in  London,  and  chose  a  committee, 
as  before  stated,  to  represent  their  case  to  their 
Diocesan  and  to  the  King. 

The  answer  which  the  Bishop  returns,  sets 
forth,  it  must  be  confessed,  in  a  strong  light,  the 
impartiality  of  the  gentlemen  of  the  law  abroad, 
and  their  adherence  to  their  principles  in  spite  of 
their  feelings  and  prejudices.     "  We  have  at  last 
obtained,"  he  says  in  his  letter  to   Mr  Price,  of 
Feb.  6,   1732-3,  "  the  opinion  of  the  Attorney 
and  Solicitor  General  in  relation  to  the  New  Eng- 
land Charter,  and  the  power  of  the  Legislature 
there  to  make  laws  for  rateing  the  members  of 
the    Episcopal  Churches    to  the    Independent 
Ministers."     He  then  declares,  though  with  sor- 
row, that  those  high  legal  authorities  thought  that 
the  exercise  of  the  power  claimed  by  the  colony 
began  so  early,  and  had  continued  so   long,  that 
there  was  little  encouragement  to  hope  that  their 
acts  could  be  pronounced  null  and  void.     "  I  am 
obliged  to  write,"  he  adds,  "  in  this  plain,  though 
uncomfortable  manner,  that  you  may  judge  how 
far  it  will  be  advisable  for  the  members  of  the 
Church  there  to  make  it  a  Cause  ;  and  if  judge- 
ment be  given  against  them,  as  it  certainly  will, 
to  bring  it  before  the  King  and  Council  by  way 
of  appeal." 


PERIOD   FIFTH.  (J  7 

Here  was  consistency,  at  least.  Dissenters 
in  England  were?/  and  still  are  obliged  to  support 
the  clergy  of  the  establishment,  beside  obliging 
themselves  to  support  their  own,  and  it  was  but 
fair  that  Churchmen,  when  surrounded  abroad 
by  a  majority  who  looked  on  them  as  Dissenters, 
should  not  be  permitted  to  complain  very  loudly 
or  effectually  of  the  operation  of  a  principle 
which  was  acted  on  at  home.*  But  how  defec- 
tive is  the  principle  itself;  and  how  impossible  it 
is,  at  least  in  this  case,  for  an  old  wrong  to  grow 
into  a  right. 

On  the   15th  of  April,   1736,  Mr  Harward 
died,f  and  the  usual  application  for  another  Assist- 

*  The  grievance  to  the  Churchmen  here,  was  not  in  fact 
very  great.  Only  three  cases  of  oppression  could  be  produced 
before  the  General  Court,  and  the  churches  were  obliged  to 
pay  for  hunting  up  raore.  One  thing  complained  of  \ 
the  refusal  of  seats  in  the  Board  of  Overseers  of  Harvard 
College  to  the  ministers  of  King's  Chape!  and  Christ  Church. 

t  At  a  vestry  meeting,  April  16,  1736.  «'  Voted  that  Mr 
John  Merrett,  Mr  James  Gordon,  and  Thomas  Greene  be  •* 
Committee  to  take  care  that  the  Rev.  Mr  1  nomas  Harward 
be  buried  in  a  decent  frugal  manner,  and  in  the  absence  of 
either  of  them,  Mr  Samuel  Bannister  is  to  act  in  his  room." 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Congregation,  April  18.  "  Voted  that 
the  charges  that  shall  arise  by  burying  the  Rev.  Mr  Thomas 
Harward,  deceased,  be  paid  out  of  the  Church  Stock.  Voted, 
that  Mr  John  Merrett,  Mr  James  Gordon,  and  Thomas 
Greene  be  a  Committy  to  order  the  way  and  manner  of  the 
funeral." 

7 


93  PERIOD   FIFTH. 

ant  was  again  made  to  the  Bishop,  in  a  letter 
from  the  rector,  wardens  and  vestry.     In  this  let- 
ter they  say,    "  Our  infant  Church  being  sur- 
rounded with  ten  dissenting  Congregations  in  this 
principal  Town,  which  are  provided  with  Minis- 
ters the  most  esteemed  for  Learning  and  Piety 
among  them,  its  prosperity  depends  much  on  the 
Abilities    and  good   Qualities  of  our  Ministers. 
We  therefore  relye  on  your  Lordship's   Judge- 
ment and  Goodness  in  speedily  supplying  us  with 
a  proper  Person."     The  person  appointed   was 
the  Rev.  Mr  Addington  Davenport,  who    had 
been  for  some  time  minister  or  missionary  to  the 
church  in  Scituate.     He   entered  on  his   duties 
about  a  year  after  the  death  of  Mr   Harward. 
Bishop  Gibson  wrote  him  the  following  letter  on 
his  appointment. 

"Whitehall,  Jan.  29,  1736-7. 
"  Good  Sir,  —  I  have  appointed  you  to  suc- 
ceed Mr  Harward  in  the  duty  at  the  King's 
Chappie,  there  to  be  performed  by  you  under 
the  rules  and  directions  which  have  been  given 
by  the  Bishop  Compton  and  myself.  You  will 
not  fail  in  general  to  pay  all  due  respect  to  Mr 
Price,  both  as  chief  Pastor  of  the  congregation 
and  as  my  Commissary  ;  and  when  the  duty  of 
this  latter  station  obliges  him  to  be  absent  from 
Boston,  which,  as  I  am  informed,  is  very  seldom. 


PERIOD    FIFTH  99 

I  think  it  reasonable  that  you  should  perform  his 
duty  there  without  expecting  any  gratuity  for  it. 
As  to  the  other  accidental  inabilities  or  absences 
on  account  of  health  or  necessary  business,  which 
both  of  you  in  your  turns  may  have  occasion 
for,  I  hope  there  is  no  need  to  exhort  either  of 
you  to  afford  mutual  assistance  to  each  other. 
I  desire  you  to  communicate  this  letter  to  Mr 
Price,  and  have  no  more  to  add  at  this  time  but 
to  commend  you  to  the  Divine  protection,  and 
to  wish  you  success  in  your  pastoral  labours,  which 
will  always  be  a  great  satisfaction  to 

Sir,  your  assured  Friend  and  Brother, 

Edm.  London." 
And  still  Episcopacy  continued  to  spread  in 
Boston.  Notwithstanding  Christ  Church  was 
built  in  1723,  and  large  galleries  had  since  been 
added  to  King's  Chapel,  it  had  been  resolved  as 
early  as  the  year  1728  to  build  a  new  Church  at 
the  corner  of  Summer  Street  and  Bishop-alley, 
now  Hawley  Street,  "  by  reason  that  the  Chapel 
was  full,  and  no  pews  to  be  bought  by  new 
comers."  The  corner  stone  of  Trinity  Church 
was  laid  by  Commissary  Price,  on  the  15th  of 
April,  1734.  On  the  15th  of  August,  1735,  the 
Rev.  Mr  Harward  read  prayers  there,  and  Mr 
Price  preached  the  first  sermon.  Afterwards 
Mr  Price  and  Mr  Davenport  officiated  there,  by 


100  PERIOD   FIFTH. 

leave  of  their  own  church,  as  did  other  episco- 
pal ministers.  In  May,  1740,  Mr  Davenport, 
who  had  so  recently  been  made  Assistant  at 
King's  Chapel,  accepted  the  invitation  of  the 
congregation  of  Trinity  Church  to  become  their 
pastor,  and  he  was  accordingly  inducted  as  their 
firs1,  rector. 

To  prove  still  further  that  episcopacy  was  then 
prevailing  as  it  has  never  since  prevailed  here,  at 
a  vestry  meeting  holden  on  the  18th  of  Septem- 
ber of  the  same  year,  1740,  the  following  vote 
was  passed  to  consider  of  the  rebuilding  the 
King's  Chapel.  "  Voted  that  a  Committee  of 
six  persons  of  this  Church  shall  be  joinad  with 
the  minister  and  church  wardens,  and  shall  be 
chosen  to  consider  of  a  method  of  raising  a  sub- 
scription for  the  rebuilding  the  King's  Chappel." 
The  measures  which  were  taken  in  pursuance 
of  this  vote,  and  which  resulted  in  the  erection 
of  the  elegant  and  spacious  church  in  which  we 
now  worship,  will  be  considered,  with  other 
matters,  in  the  next  discourse. 


PERIOD  SIXTH. 

RESIGNATION    OF    MR   PRICE.  — SETTLEMENT  OF  DR  CA- 
NER.  —  BUILDING  OF  THE  STONE  CHAPEL. 


THE  GOD    OF  HEAVEN.   HE    WILL    PROSPER    US}    THEREFORE 
WE  HIS  SERVANTS  WILL  ARISE    AND  BUILD.  —  Nek.  il.  20. 

In  consequence  of  the  vote  passed  in  1740  to 
consider  of  the  rebuilding  of  the  Chapel,  William 
Shirley,  Esq.  a  warden  of  the  church,  and  after- 
wards Governor  of  the  State,  was  appointed  to 
draw  up  a  subscription  paper,  which  he  did,  and 
headed  the  list  himself  with  the  liberal  sum  of  one 
hundred  pounds  sterling.  Other  subscriptions  to 
a  considerable  amount  were  obtained,  and  Peter 
Faneuil,  Esq.*  was  constituted  Treasurer  of  the 
building  fund.  Owing  to  his  death,  however,  and 
some  other  circumstances,  the  business  received 
a  temporary  check,  and  was  suffered  to  rest  for 
several  years. 

On  the  removal  of  Mr  Davenport  to  Trinity 
Church,  the  Bishop  of  London  was  applied  to 
for  a  successor  to  fill  his  place   at  the  Chapel. 

*  The  same  who  gave  to  the  town  the  famous  hall  called 
by  his  name. 


102  PERIOD    SIXTH. 

The  Rev.  Stephen  Rowe,  or  Roe,  was  mention- 
ed, who  was  at  that  time  a  minister  in  South 
Carolina,  but  unable  to  stay  there  on  account  of 
his  health.  The  applicants  spoke  of  him  as  a 
person  who,  they  were  sure,  would  be  agreeable 
to  them.  To  use  their  own  expressions,  they 
"  begged  leave  to  insinuate  that  they  had  once 
heard  him  read  divine  service,  and  preach,  and 
well  approved  his  talent  therein.  Yet  finally," 
they  say,  "  we  rest  ourselves  in  your  Lordship's 
wisdom  and  goodness,  properly  and  seasonably  to 
supply  us." 

Mr  Roe,  after  some  delay,  was  appointed  to 
the  situation,  and  entered  on  his  duties  in  1741  : 
but  he  did  not  remain  long  at  the  Chapel,  nor  do 
I  learn  anything  of  him  or  his  departure  from  the 
records. 

The  ecclesiastical  condition  of  the  church  at 
this  period  experienced  some  important  changes. 
Mr  Price  had  not  been  long  settled  as  rector,  be- 
fore differences  began  to  spring  up  between  him 
and  his  congregation  ;  the  short  account  of  which 
is,  that  he  presumed  too  much  on  his  place  and 
dignity  of  Commissary,  and  they  were  growing 
jealous  of  their  congregational  rights  and  privi- 
leges. In  May,  1734,  he  communicated  his  in- 
tention of  leaving  the  church  and  returning  to 
England,  and  no  regret  was  manifested  by  his 


PERIOD    SIXTH.  103 

people  at  the  prospect  of  losing  him.  He  took 
his  passage  on  board  a  vessel  bound  to  London, 
and  actually  set  sail  in  her ;  but  being  detained 
at  Nantasket  by  contrary  winds,  he  came  up  to 
Boston,  requested  the  wardens  to  call  a  vestry 
meeting,  and  announced  his  resolution  to  stay  with 
his  church.  Whereupon  a  list  of  his  former  pre- 
tensions was  made  out,  and  on  his  agreeing  to  give 
them  all  up,  it  was  voted  by  the  congregation,  on 
the  26th  of  May,  that  he  should  be  Rector  and 
minister  of  the  Church  as  before.  The  six  arti- 
cles thus  consented  to  by  Mr  Price,  serve  as  an 
explanation  of  the  principal  causes  of  contention 
between  him  and  his  people.  They  are  as  follows. 
"  1 .  To  have  no  pretentions  to  the  perquisites 
of  the  money  for  burying  under  the  church. 

2.  To  have  no  pretentions  in  chuseing  a  Church 
Warden. 

3.  To  have  no  pretentions  to  the  Church 
Stock. 

4.  To  have  no  pretentions  to  the  Church  Li- 
brary ;  only  the  use  of  them. 

5.  To  preach  on  Sunday  afternoons ;  when  it 
can  be  done. 

6.  To  make  due  entries  of  the  Church  mar- 
riages, christenings  and  burials  in  the  book  provi- 
ded for  that  purpose." 

That  Mr  Price   should  ever  have  made  such 


104  PERIOD    SIXTH. 

pretensions  as  are  here  resigned,  appears  singular 
to  us,  with  our  present  customs  and  habits  of 
thinking.  But  it  must  be  recollected  that  Mr 
Price  came  over  from  England,  and  took  posses- 
sion of  the  Chapel,  with  English  notions  of  a  rec- 
tor's prerogatives,  and  that  some  of  the  conces- 
sions which  he  was  obliged  to  make,  were  extort- 
ed by  the  innovating  spirit  of  the  church.  With 
regard  to  the  appointment  of  wardens,  for  instance, 
it  would  seem  that  Mr  Myles,  the  predecessor  of 
Mr  Price,  exercised  the  privilege  of  nominating 
to  that  office ;  for  it  is  recorded,  that  in  the  year 
1726  he  informed  the  vestry  that  Charles  Ap- 
thorp  refused  to  serve  as  Church  Warden,  and 
nominated  Mr  Thomas  Selby,  who  was  chosen. 
I  have  been  told  that  the  English  custom  is,  that 
the  Rector  nominate  one  of  the  wardens,  and  the 
vestry  the  other.  But  Mr  Price  undoubtedly  as- 
sumed too  much,  and  by  thus  rendering  himself 
unpopular,  lost  some  privileges  which  by  quiet- 
ness he  might  have  retained. 

Several  other  troubles  of  a  serious  nature  arose 
between  the  parties,  and  reference  was  occasion- 
ally had  to  the  Bishop  of  London.  At  length,  on 
Thanksgiving  day,  Nov.  27, 1746,  Mr  Price  signi- 
fied to  the  congregation  his  final  intention  of  going  to 
England,  and  quitting  the  rectorship  and  cure  of  the 
church.     The  congregation  then  took  the  bold 


PERIOD     SIXTH. 


105 


and  unprecedented  step  of  choosing  a  committee 
to  consider  of  a  fit  person  in  holy  orders,  and  to 
recommend  him  as  such,  not  to  the  Bishop  of 
London,  but  to  the  congregation,  to  be  appointed 
Rector  of  the  King's  Chapel,  in  the  room  of  Mr 
Price.  On  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  this 
committee  met  at  the  Royal  Exchange  Tavern, 
and  agreed  unanimously  to  recommend  the  Rev. 
Mr  Henry  Caner,  minister  of  the  church  in  Fair- 
field, Connecticut,  to  the  congregation  of  the 
Chapel,  to  be  their  rector.  At  an  adjourned 
meeting  of  the  congregation,  on  Sunday  the  30th, 
Mr  Price's  letter  of  resignation,  and  the  report  of 
the  committee  having  been  read,  the  question  was 
put,  "  Whether  wee  should  choose  a  minister  to 
succeed  the  Revd  Mr  Commissary  Price  from 
amongst  the  clergy  in  holy  orders  in  New  Eng- 
land, or  write  to  his  Lordship  our  Diocesan,  and 
other  friends  in  Old  England  to  procure  us  a  min- 
ister from  thence  ;  and  it  was  carried  by  a  great 
majority  that  wee  should  choose  a  minister  from 
amongst  the  Clergy  in  New  England."  After 
this,  the  congregation  proceeded  to  the  choice  of 
a  minister,  and  the  Rev.  Henry  Caner  was 
chosen  by  a  great  majority. 

This  independent  line  of  conduct  shows  a  wide 
departure  from  the  old  course,  which  had  always 
pointed  hitherto  in  the  direction  of  London.    The 


106  PERIOD    SIXTH. 

assistant  minister  or  lecturer,  however,  was  ac- 
knowledged to  be  at  the  disposal  of  the  Diocesan, 
because  his  salary  came  from  abroad ;  and  the 
church  were  regular  in  their  applications  to  the 
Bishop  for  the  appointment  of  this  officer  on 
every  occasion  of  vacancy. 

The  customary  letters  having  passed  between 
the  conoretration  and  Mr  Caner,  of  invitation 
on  their  part,  and  acceptance  on  his,  he  removed 
from  Fairfield  to  Boston,  and  the  day  succeeding 
his  arrival,  Saturday,  April  11,  1747,  was  con- 
ducted to  the  Chapel  by  the  Rev.  Mr  Commis- 
sary Price,  and  there  put  in  possession  of  the 
church  after  the  same  manner  and  form  which  had 
been  observed  in  the  case  of  the  latter  gentle- 
man ;  no  mention  being  made  of  the  Bishop  of 
London,  however,  throughout  the  whole  affair.* 

The  terms  on  which  he  was  settled  were,  that 

*  From  the  record?.  "  The  Reverd  Mr  Henry  Caner 
came  (o  town  on  ffriday  Evening,  and  the  next  morning, 
April  11,  1747,  about  Eleven  o'clock  in  the  forenoon,  he  was 
conducted  to  the  King's  Chapel  in  Boston  by  the  Reverd  Mr 
Commissary  Price,  the  Church  Wardens  and  others  of  the 
Comittee  appointed  as  above,  who  all  went  out  of  the  Church, 
the  Church  Wardens  at  the  door  delivering  the  key  oi 
the  Church  to  the  Reverd  Mr  Caner,  who  locking  himself 
in  the  Church,  tolled  the  Bell,  and  then  unlocked  the  Door, 
receiving  the  Church  Wardens  and  Comittee  &c.  into  the 
Church  again,  who  wished  him  joy  upon  his  haveing  Posses^ 
sionof  the  Church." 


PERIOD   SIXTH.  107 

he  was  to  be  paid  the  long  established  salary  of 
one  hundred  and  ten  pounds  sterling  per  annum, 
at  that  time  equal  to  eleven  hundred  pounds  old 
tenor  ;  that  he  was  to  share  the  public  services 
of  the  church  with  the  Assistant  for  the  time  be- 
ing, and  receive  all  perquisites  as  the  Rector's 
due. 

In  the  summer  of  this   year,   1747,  the  Rev. 
Commissary  Price  sailed  for  England  in  the  Mer- 
maid man  of  war.     Though  he  had  not  lived  on 
the  happiest  terms  with  his  people,  his  talents 
were  good  and  his  morals  irreproachable.     His 
great  failing  was,  that  he  could  not  accommodate 
himself  to  the  country  to  which  he  had  come,  and 
was  always  wishing  to  live  more  like  a  dignitary 
of  the  church  at  home  than  the  habits  of  this 
country  would  bear.     He  published  two  sermons 
here,  if  no  more.     One  was  preached  in  January. 
1733,  on   occasion   of  the  death  of  John  Jekyll, 
Esq.  collector  of  Customs  ;  and  the  other  on  the 
death  of  the  queen,  in  March,  1733.     The  former 
of  these  1  have  seen.     The  style  is  considerably 
studied  and  ornate,  and  the  sentiments  are  good 
and  well  suited  to  the  occasion.     It  is  such  a  ser- 
mon as  would  be  heard  with  interest  at  any  time 
by  any  congregation. 

Mr  Caner  entered  on  his  duties,  as  Rector  of 
King's  Chapel,  with  a  high  reputation.     He  was 


108  PERIOD   SIXTH. 

educated  at  Yale  College,  and  became  a  candi- 
date for  episcopal  orders  two  or  three  years  after 
the  ordination  of  Doctors  Johnson  and  Cutler. 
"  In  1727  he  went  to  England  for  ordination,  and 
the  Society  appointed  him  their  missionary  to 
Fairfield.  His  occasional  services  at  Norwalk 
greatly  recommended  the  Church  ;  and  it  was 
not  long  before  he  had  a  respectable  congregation 
there,  as  well  as  at  Fairfield."  *  In  Boston  he 
was  considered  as  a  more  than  commonly  good 
preacher  ;  and  his  congregation  at  the  Chapel, 
essaying  to  turn  his  popularity  to  their  advantage, 
were  led  into  an  unpleasant  altercation  with  the 
Assistant  or  Lecturer,  the  Rev.  Charles  Brock- 
well,  who  had  been  appointed  to  succeed  Mr 
Roe  in  1747,  and  who  had  previously  been  min- 
ister of  the  churches  at  Scituate  and  Salem.  Mr 
Brockwell,  according  to  the  appointment  of  the 
Bishop  of  London,  wTas  "  Lecturer  or  Afternoon 
Preacher,"  and  of  course  his  time  of  officiating 
at  the  Chapel  was  the  afternoon.  But  the  week- 
ly collection,  on  which  the  church  mainly  depend- 
ed for  the  rector's  salary,  was  taken  in  the  after- 
noon ;  and  it  was  the  desire  of  the  congregation 

7  O  O 

that  Mr  Caner,  as  the  most  attractive  preacher, 
should  officiate  at  that  season,  rather  than  in  the 
morning,   which   more  particularly  belonged    to 

*  Chandler's  Life  of  Dr  Johnson,  p.  62. 


PERIOD    SIXTH.  J09 

him.  This  desire  they  expressed,  in  a  formal 
manner,  to  Mr  Brockwell ;  and  that  gentleman's 
meekness  not  being  prepared  for  such  an  appli- 
cation, by  no  means  a  flattering  one,  he  at  first 
refused  his  consent,  and  resolved  to  abide  by  the 
very  terms  of  the  Bishop's  appointment.  But 
he  afterwards,  with  a  reservation  of  his  right, 
agreed  to  the  proposed  arrangement.  This  af- 
fair occupies  in  its  details,  several  pages  of  the 
records.  Without  making  the  comments  which 
might  be  made  upon  it,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  re- 
mark on  the  change  of  customs  of  which  it  fur- 
nishes another  example.  The  afternoon  would 
not  now  be  selected  here,  as  the  season  for  the 
fullest  congregations. 

Beside  Mr  Caner's  popularity  in  the  pulpit, 
he  had  also  a  remarkable  talent  for  business  ;  and 
it  was  probably  owing  in  a  great  measure  to  this 
characteristic  of  the  Rector,  that  soon  after  his 
settlement,  the  design  of  rebuilding  the  Chapel 
was  resumed,  and  prosecuted  with  vigor  and  dil- 
igence to  its  completion.  The  subscription  paper 
was  revived  ;  letters  were  sent  in  all  directions, 
in  the  country  and  out  of  it,  to  solicit  aid  ;  con- 
tributions were  taken  in  the  church  ;  assessments 
were  laid  on  the  pews ;  and  every  effort  and 
method  was  resorted  to  which  seemed  to  promise 
any  furtherance  to  the  desired  end.  The  difficulties 


HO  PERIOD   SIXTH  . 

contended  with  were  great,  the  exertions  and 
sacrifices  made  were  constant  and  eminent.  In 
our  own  days  of  activity,  there  has  not  been  a 
church  erected  in  the  land  at  a  greater  expense 
of  labor  and  time,  nor  with  a  greater  straining  of 
means.  In  all  the  measures  which  were  pursued, 
Mr  Caner  took  a  leading  part ;  he  attended  to 
many  if  not  most  of  the  business  details,  and  wrote 
nearly  all  the  letters  of  application,  in  which  a 
remarkable  ingenuity  is  displayed  in  varying  the 
terms  of  the  same  oft  repeated  story,  told  in  dif- 
ferent phrase  to  each  individual  applied  to,  through 
a  series  of  documents  which  would  fill  a  volume. 
Indeed  the  records  of  this  undertaking  form  a  thin 
folio  volume,  entitled,  "  A  Record  of  Votes  and 
Resolutions,  &c,  together  with  some  brief  Me- 
moirs of  the  Transactions  relating  to  the  rebuild- 
ing King's  Chapel  in  Boston."  This  volume  is 
my  guide  in  the  narrative  which  follows,  and  my 
authority  for  all  the  facts.  As  it  recounts  some 
things  which  have  been  already  briefly  mention- 
ed, it  may  serve  the  purpose  of  a  useful  recapitu- 
lation, to  present  an  abstract  of  the  entire  story, 
as  there  given. 

The  manuscript  begins  with  stating  that  King's 
Chapel  was  first  erected  of  wood  in  the  year 
1688,  that  it  was  enlarged  in  1710,  and  being 
found  in  the  year  1741  in  a  state  of  considerable 


PERIOD    SIXTH  .  Ill 

decay,  that  it  was  proposed  to  rebuild  it  of  stone. 
The  Rev.  Roger  Price  was  at  that  time  '•  min- 
ister," and  Wra.  Shirley,  Esq.  (about  the  same 
time  appointed  Governor  of  the  Province)  and 
Mr  Saml.  Wentworth,  wardens.  A  voluntary 
subscription  was  set  on  foot,  and  Peter  Faneuil, 
Esq.  chosen  treasurer  for  receiving  sums  sub- 
scribed. The  building  was  to  be  of  stone,  and 
to  cost  £25,000,  old  tenor.  It  was  net  to  be 
commenced  till  £10,000  were  subscribed. 

The  names  on  the  first  subscription  paper  were 
as  follows  :  Win.  Shirley,  Esq. ;  Sir  Henry  Frank- 
land  ;  Ed.  Tyng  ;  Eliakim  Hutchinson  ;  Charles 
Apthorp;  Henry  Caswall ;  John  Gibbins ; 
James  Gordon  ;  James  Smith  ;  Robert  Lightfoot ; 
Thos.  Hawding  ;  Chas.  Paxton ;  Saml.  Went- 
worth ;  Peter  Faneuil. 

The  principal  contributers  among  these  were, 
Mr  Faneuil,  for  £200  sterling  (i.  e.  2000  old 
tenor),  Mr  Shirley,  £100  stg.  and  Sir  Henry 
Frankland,  £50  stg.  The  rest  subscribed  from 
one  to  two  hundred  pounds  old  tenor. 

As  the  whole  sum  subscribed  was  only  £5,250 
old  tenor,  little  more  than  half  the  sum  proposed 
to  begin  with,  and  as  Mr  Faneuil  soon  afterwards 
died,  the  affair  languished,  and  was  for  some  time 
laid  aside.  In  1747,  Mr  Price  having  resigned, 
and  Mr  Caner  having  been  chosen  to  succeed 
liim,  it  was  revived. 


112  PERIOD    SIXTH. 

Though  the  Chapel  was  now  more  ruinous 
than  before,  It  was  objected  by  some  to  the  re- 
building it,  that  the  war  had  raised  the  price  of 
materials  and  made  building  more  expensive. 
To  this  it  was  answered  that  the  war  had  also 
brought  a  number  of  army  and  navy  officers  into 
the  town,  who  might  be  expected  to  assist  the 
design. 

A  meeting  was  held  at  Mr  Caner's  house  * 

o 

for  the  purpose  of  reviving  and  prosecuting  the 
old  subscription  ;  at  which  were  present  Governor 
Shirley,  Sir  Henry  Frankland,  the  two  wardens, 
(James  Gordon  and  John  Box)  Eliakim  Hutch- 
inson, Thomas  Lechmere,  Charles  Apthorp,  Dr 
Silvester  Gardiner,  and  James  Smith.  A  new 
subscription  paper  was  drawn  up  and  proposed 
by  Mr  Caner,  to  which  all  present  agreed  and 
subscribed.  It  was  dated  Sept.  30,  1747.  By 
it  the  subscribers,  "  out  of  regard  to  the  honor  of 
God,  and  the  more  decent  provision  for  his  pub- 
lick  worship,  and  for  confirming  and  promoting 
the  said  subscription  heretofore  begun,"  oblige 
themselves,  executors  and  administrators  to  pay 
to  Charles  Apthorp,  Esq.  appointed  their  trea- 

*  Situated  on  the  north  side  of  the  burying-ground,  and 
lately  taken  down  for  the  purpose  of  building  on  the  lot  a 
new  Savings  Bank  of  stone.  It  was  of  wood,  rough-cast 
outside.  In  this  house  were  the  rooms  of  the  Boston 
Athenamm  from  1810  to  1822. 


PERIOD     SIXTH.  113 

surer,  or  to  his  successor,  the  sums  annexed  to 
their  names.  But  it  was  provided,  that  if  the 
sum  of  two  thousand  pounds  sterling  was  not 
raised  within  a  year  and  a  half  from  the  date  of 
the  paper,  the  subscriptions  should  be  considered 
void,  and  all  moneys  paid  were  to  be  refunded. 

On  this  second  paper  Gov.  Shirley  stood  first, 
and  enlarged  his  subscription  to  £200  stg.  Sir 
Henry  Frankland  gave  £150  stg.  and  Charles 
Apthorp  £1000  old  tenor,  or  £100  stg.  The 
whole  subscriptions  of  nine  persons  amounted  to 
£6200  old  tenor,  which  was  more  than  was 
before  obtained  from  fourteen. 

The  paper  being  handed  round,  a  considerable 
sum  was  subscribed.  It  was  resolved  that  a  weekly 
meeting  should  be  held  at  some  public  house,  in 
order  to  advance  the  design  ;  that  the  church 
should  be  enlarged  as  well  as  rebuilt ;  and  that 
an  address  should  be  made  to  the  town  for  ground 
sufficient  to  effect  this  enlargement.  And,  "  not 
to  lose  time  while  these  things  were  in  agitation, 
sundry  letters  were  drawn  up  to  be  sent  abroad 
to  ask  assistance  of  well  disposed  persons  towards 
carrying  on  the  good  work." 

The  first  of  these  letters  was  to  Wm.  Vassall, 

Esq.  then  in  the  Island  of  Jamaica.     It  was  dated 

Jan.  28,    1747-8,  and  signed  by  the  minister, 

wardens  and  vestry.     They  mention  that  a  vio- 

8 


114  PERIOD    SIXTH. 

lent  storm  had  carried  away  a  large  part  of  the 
roof,  which  obliged  them  to  hasten  their  opera- 
tions in  the  design  of  rebuilding  the  church. 
They  observe  that  they  have  already  obtained 
about  £1600  stg.  "  We  have,"  they  say, 
"  upon  former  occasions,  particularly  at  the  first 
erecting  the  chapel,  experienced  the  generosity 
of  the  gentlemen  in  the  West  India  Islands,  and 
their  readiness  to  assist  their  brethren  in  these 
parts  destitute  of  the  favour  of  the  government  and 
many  advantages  which  they  enjoy  to  promote 
affairs  of  this  nature."  They  beg  Mr  Vassall  to 
obtain  aid  for  them  from  the  charitable  and  well 
disposed  people  in  the  Island  of  Jamaica,  and  to  be 
their  agent  in  receiving  and  transmitting  the  same. 
The  next  letter  was  to  the  Bishop  of  London, 
and  is  sufficiently  curious  to  copy  entire. 

"  To  the  Right  Revd.  Father  in  God,  Edmund,  Lord  Bishop 
of  London. 

"  Boston,  July  25, 1748. 
"  May  it  please  your  Lordship, 

"  We  think  it  our  duty  to  acquaint  your 
Lordship,  that  Time  and  other  accidents,  partic- 
ularly a  late  remarkable  storm,  have  so  much 
impaired  King's  Chapel  in  Boston,  that  it  is  be- 
come necessary  to  rebuild  it ;  to  which  purpose 
the  Congregation  have  cheerfully  entered  upon  a 
Subscription  which  at  present  amounts  to  £  16,000 


PERIOD   SIXTH  115 

New  England  Currency,  equal  to  so  many  hun- 
dreds Sterling,  and  is  daily  increasing  ;  but  as  we 
have  no  expectation  of  their  ability  to  compleat 
the  work  of  themselves,  they  have  thought  proper 
to  apply  to  such  friends  whose  ability  and  virtue 
give  hopes  of  their  encouraging  a  design  of  this 
nature.     But  as  all  probable  means  in  our  power 
will  he  found  little   enough  to  accomplish  the 
aood  work,  we   humbly  beg  leave  to   ask  your 
Lordship's  opinion  of  the  propriety  of  an  appli- 
cation to  his  majesty,  in  favour  of  a  Church,  the 
first  in  America  ;  and  who  at  the  publick  Charge 
erected  a  very  handsome  Pew  for  His  Majesty's 
Governour,  a  Church  which  has  heretofore  tasted 
of  the  Royall  Bounty,  and  if  we  may  judge  by 
the  Name,  seems  in  some  measure   encouraged 
to  expect  it.     We  are  sensible  your  Lordship's 
interest  and  influence  would  be  the  greatest  se- 
curity of  success,  if  such  an    application  were 
thought    practicable    and    proper,  whether    that 
assistance  were  asked  from  the  Royal  Bounty  or 
by  virtue  of  an  authoritative  Brief.  —  In  hopes 
of  being  favoured  with  your  Lordship's  direction 
and  supported  by  your  interest,  we  beg  leave  to 
assure  your  Lordship  that  we  are,  with  all  duty 
and  submission. 

"  Your   Lordship's   most  obedient  and   most 
Humble  Servants." 


116  PERIOD  SIXTH. 

Matters  being  advanced  thus  far,  it  was  thought 
expedient  to  take  a  public  and  authoritative  vote 
of  the  proprietors  on  the  subject  of  rebuilding, 
which  was  accordingly  done  on  Sunday,  March 
27,  1748,  when  it  was  unanimously  determined 
that  on  account  of  the  ruinous  and  decayed  con- 
dition of  King's  Chapel,  it  should  be  taken  down 
and  rebuilt.  A  few  days  previously,  a  petition, 
as  before  agreed  on,  had  been  presented  to  the 
town,  for  a  piece  of  ground  at  the  east  end  of  the 
church,  that  the  new  building  might  be  made 
more  spacious  and  commodious  than  the  old  one. 
The  town  chose  a  committee  to  confer  with  the 
committee  of  the  church,  and  the  result  of  the 
conference  was  a  proposal  that  the  church  should 
have  the  lot  occupied  by  the  school-house  at  the 
east  end  of  the  old  building,  with  the  reservation 
of  a  passage  way  of  ten  feet  wide  into  the  bury- 
ing ground,  on  condition  that  the  school-house 
should  be  rebuilt  by  the  church  on  a  convenient 
spot  in  the  vicinity.  Thereupon  the  petitioners 
bargained  for  a  piece  of  ground  at  a  short  distance 
from  the  school-house,  and  also  for  another  more 
expensive  lot  opposite  the  school-house,  on  the 
south  side  of  School  Street,  as  the  former  coold 
not  be  purchased  without  the  latter.*     But  the 

*  Col  Saltonstall  was  owner  of  this  land. 


PERIOD  SIXTH.  117 

Committee  of  the  town,  finding  the  latter  piece  a 
more  desirable  situation  than  the  other,  rose  in 
their  demands,  and  insisted  that  a  school-house 
should  be  erected  for  them  there.  This  came 
near  to  break  off  the  negotiations,  and  compel  the 
church  to  rebuild  according  to  the  old  dimensions. 
But  Governor  Shirley  and  others  came  forward, 
and  said  nobly  and  sensibly,  "  that  as  the  Build- 
ing was  designed  for  Posterity  as  well  as  them- 
selves, it  would  hereafter  be  deemed  very  injudi- 
cious if  an  advantage  of  enlarging  it  into  a  con- 
venient  and  regular  building  should  nowT  be  lost 
for  the  sake  of  an  increased  charge."  The 
church  was  induced  to  persevere,  and  to  present 
to  the  town  another  petition.  Much  obstinate  and 
vexatious  opposition  was  encountered,  especially 
from  one  or  two  of  the  selectmen,  and  Mr  Lovell 
the  schoolmaster,  but  the  end  of  the  whole  busi- 
ness was,  that  the  church  erected  a  school-house 
on  the  required  lot  opposite  the  old  one,  and  on 
which  the  present  Latin  School  now  stands,  and 
gave  it,  together  with  the  ground,  to  the  town, 
and  in  return  were  granted  the  lot  at  the  east  end 
of  the  Chapel,  and  a  strip  four  feet  wide  on  the 
north  side  of  it,  and  thus  were  enabled  to  rebuild 
the  Chapel  according  to  its  present  location  and 
measurement.  Wherever  the  new  boundaries 
encroached  on  tombs  or  graves,  leave  wTas  readi- 
ly obtained  from  the  friends  of  the  deceased  for 


118  PERIOD   SIXTH. 

the  removal  of  their  remains,  and  their  decent  in- 
terment elsewhere. 

Toward  the  end  of  this  year  (1748J  the  school- 
house  being  nearly  completed,  the  Committee 
turned  their  attention  to  contracting  for  materials 
for  the  church,  and  collecting  the  first  payment  of 
their  subscriptions.  For  the  subscription  of  Peter 
Faneuil,  Esq.  deceased,  they  were  unfortunately 
obliged  to  sue  his  brother  and  executor,  Benjamin 
Faneuil,  from  whom,  after  a  disagreeable  lawsuit, 
they  at  last  recovered  it. 

"  In  order  to  make  an  estimate  of  the  quantity 
and  cost  of  the  materials,  it  was  necessary  to  fix 
on  some  plan  of  the  building ;  for  which  purpose 
the  Rev.  Mr  Caner  projected  one,  and  also  wrote 
a  letter  to  Mr  Harrison  of  Rhode  Island,  a  gen- 
tleman of  good  judgment  in  architecture." 

This  letter,  addressed  to  a  gentleman  who  real- 
ly deserved  the  name  of  an  architect,  and  to  whom 
this  part  of  the  country  is  indebted  for  more  than 
one  specimen  of  correct,  tasteful  and  appropriate 
architecture,  is  as  follows. 

"  Boston,  5th  April,  1749. 

"Mr  Peter  Harrison, 

"Sir,  —  The  Committee  appointed  to  have 
the  care  of  rebuilding  King's  Chapel  in  this  town, 
as  they  design  with  all  convenient  expedition  to 


PERIOD   SIXTH.  119 

proceed  In  the  business  committed  to  their  trust, 
have  desired  me  to  acquaint  you  that  they  should 
esteem  it  a  favour  if  you  would  oblige  them  with  a 
draught  of  a  handsome  Church  agreeable  to  the 
limits  hereinafter  assigned. 

"  The  length  of  the  Church  from  West  to  East, 
including  the  Steeple  is  to  be  120  feet,  besides 
which  there  will  be  10  feet  allowed  for  a  Chancel. 
The  breadth  is  to  be  65  feet  8  inches.  The  ground 
has  a  declivity  of  about  5  feet  from  West  to  East. 
It  is  bounded  with  a  fair  street  on  the  West  End, 
and  another  on  the  South  Side.  The  North  Side 
has  a  large  open  space  or  Burying  Ground.  The 
East  End  is  bounded  by  private  property  at  about 
12  feet  distance.  As  the  chief  beauty  and  strength 
of  building  depends  upon  a  due  proportion  of  the 
several  members  to  each  other,  the  gentlemen  of 
the  committee  are  encouraged  to  make  this  appli- 
cation to  you,  whom  they  have  often  heard  men- 
tioned with  advantage  for  a  particular  judgment 
and  taste  in  things  of  this  kind,  and  for  the  know- 
ledge you  have  acquired  by  travelling  and  obser- 
vation. We  do  not  require  any  great  expense  of 
ornament,  but  chiefly  aim  at  symmetry  and  pro- 
portion, which  we  entirely  submit  to  your  judg- 
ment. The  building  is  to  be  of  rough  stone,  and 
since  the  charge  will  greatly  increase  by  carrying 
the  walls  very  high,  if  it  does  not  interfere  with 


120  PERIOD  SIXTH. 

your  judgment,  we  should  perhaps  be  pleased  with 
one  tier  of  windows  only.  This  indeed  will  be 
inconvenient  for  the  Gallery s,  and  therefore  if  it 
be  not  too  much  trouble,  the  gentlemen  would  be 
glad  to  have  a  Prospect  of  a  side  of  each  sort,  one 
with  a  single  tier  of  windows,  and  the  other  with 
two.  The  Steeple  and  Spire  for  bigness,  height 
and  ornament  is  left  with  you  to  determine,  a 
Draught  of  which,  together  with  a  Ground  Piatt, 
is  what  is  desired  and  would  extreamly  oblige  the 
gentlemen  of  the  Committee,  and  be  esteemed  a 
very  great  favor  by 

"  Sir,  your  most  obt.  and  most  humble  Servant, 

"  H.  Caner." 

Contracts  were  made  in  July  with  Mr  Hay- 
ward  and  Mr  Hunt  of  Braintree  for  North  and 
South  Common  stones,  the  stones  from  the  North 
Common  being  charged  the  highest.  "  Laborers 
were  now  employed  to  open  a  trench  for  the 
foundation,  which  being  soon  accomplished,  to  the 
depth  of  between  seven  and  eight  feet,  the  Com- 
mittee directed  that  the  first  stone  for  the  founda- 
tion should  be  laid  on  the  11th  of  August,  1749." 
Governor  Shirley  was  desired  to  lay  the  same,  and 
Mr  Caner  was  invited  to  preach  a  sermon  on  the 
occasion. 

On  Friday,  the  day  appointed,  "  Mr  Caner, 


PERIOD   SIXTH.  121 

Mr  Brock  well,  the  Treasurer  and  Committee,  to- 
gether with  the  wardens,  vestry,  and  other  prin- 
cipal gentlemen  of  the  church,  waited  on  his  Ex- 
cellency William  Shirley,  Esq.  from  the  Province 
House  to  the  ground  laid  out  for  the.  Church, 
amidst  a  large  concourse  of  spectators,  where  a 
stone  was  prepared  with  the  following  inscription. 

Quod  felix  faustumque  sit 

EcCLESIiE    ET    ReIPUBLICE 

Hunc  Lapidem  Deo  sacrum 

Regime  Capellje 

Apud  Bostonium  Massachusettensium 

RESTAURATiE    ATQJJE    AUCTiE    FuNDAMENTUM 

posuit  gulielmus  shirley 

Province  Prjefectus 

Augusti  IImo,  Anno  Salutis  1749. 

"  When  the  masons  had  placed  the  Stone  at 
the  N.  East  corner  of  the  trench,  his  Excellency, 
according  to  custom,  settled  it  with  a  stroke  or 
two  of  a  mason's  hammer,  and  after  giving  the 
workmen  about  £20  to  drink  his  health,  went 
into  the  [old]  Church,  as  did  also  most  of  those 
who  were  present,  where,  after  Prayers,  a  Ser- 
mon was  preached  with  a  view  to  the  occasion 
,  by  the  Rev.  Mr  Caner  from  Neh.  ii.  20."  The 
words  of  the  text  are  those  which  I  have  placed 
at  the  head  of  this  discourse  ;  "  The  God  of 
heaven,  he  will  prosper  us  ;  therefore  we  his  ser- 


122  PERIOD   SIXTH 

vants  will  arise  and  build."  The  sermon  was 
printed  at  the  request  of  the  Committee. 

The  ceremony  above  related  was  attacked  with 
witty  scurrillity  in  a  paper  called  the  Independent 
Advertiser ;  "  but,"  say  the  records,  "  the  malice 
and  ill  manners  of  the  writer  got  the  better  of  his 
wit,  and  exposed  him  to  resentment  and  contempt 
where  he  thought  to  have  merited  applause. 
And  indeed  the  sober  and  serious  men  of  all  par- 
ties in  the  town  were  so  much  offended  at  the  ill 
manners  and  irreligion  discovered  in  this  libel,  that 
it  soon  gave  occasion  to  the  suppressing  the  paper 
in  which  it  was  published,  especially  as  it  had 
long  been  made  use  of  for  a  vehicle  of  scandal  and 
disaffection  to  Government." 

In  September  an  answer  was  received  from  Mr 
Harrison  of  Newport,  with  the  plans  and  eleva- 
tions which  had  been  requested. 

"Newport,  September  15th,  1749. 

"  Sir,  —  Since  I  first  undertook  to  draw  a  De- 
sign for  the  new  Church,  many  things  have  un- 
expectedly occurred  to  prevent  me  from  finishing 
it  in  the  time  you  requested.  However,  I  have 
at  last  compleated  it,  and  now  send  you  per  the 
Post  Rider  all  the  Plans  and  Elevations  (as  men- 
tioned below)  which  I  should  be  glad  to  hear  an- 
swer your  expectations,  and  that  no  material  al 


PERIOD   SIXTH.  123 

teration  is  made  in  the  execution,  as  it  is  very 
possible  by  that  means  the  symmetry  of  the  whole 
may  be  destroyed. 

"  The  Body  of  the  Building  (as  you  directed) 
is  as  plain  as  the  order  of  it  will  possibly  admit 
of,  but  the  Steeple  is  fully  decorated,  and  I  be- 
lieve will  have  a  beautiful  effect.  The  inside  is 
likewise  designed  plain,  and  as  regular  as  can  be 
contrived  from  the  dimensions  you  limited  me  to. 
—  From  these  hints  you  may  perhaps  be  able  to 
answer  the  objections  of  such  of  the  Committee 
and  others  who  may  not  be  conversant  with 
drawings,  or  have  not  a  taste  in  things  of  this  na- 
ture.    I  am,  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  Servant, 

"  Peter  Harrison. 

"The   Plan. —The   Elevation  of  the  West 
Front.  —  The  Elevation  of  the  South  Front.  — 
The  Section.  —  Breadthways.  —  The   Plans   of 
the  Steeple.  —  The  Plan  of  the  Pews. 
"  To  the  Rev.  Mr  Henry  Caner." 

As  I  have  not  seen  these  plans  of  the  archi- 
tect, it  is  impossible  for  me  to  say  how  closely 
they  were  followed.  But  as  the  Committee  were 
well  pleased  with  them,  and  wrote  to  Mr  Harri- 
son that  they  should  follow  them  as  nearly  as  they 
could,  it  is  not  probable  that  there  was  any  great 


124  PERIOD   SIXTH. 

deviation  from  them.  It  is  to  be  regretted,  that 
the  means  of  the  church  did  not  permit  them  to 
erect  the  steeple,  as  this  must  have  proved  a  great 
ornament  both  to  the  building  and  the  town. 

The  workmen  proceeded  with  their  labor  but 
slowly.  Granite  was  not  then  the  manageable 
material  that  it  is  now.  In  the  meantime  the 
congregation  continued  to  worship  in  the  old 
chapel,  decayed  and  partially  unroofed  by  a  se- 
vere storm  as  it  was,  while  the  walls  of  the  new 
structure  were  gradually  rising  around  it.  The 
committee  also  continued  to  write  letters  to  wealthy 
men  and  dignitaries  ;  but  not  much  fruit  was  ob- 
tained from  them,  and  the  church  were  left  to 
rely  mainly  on  their  own  resources,  which  is 
generally,  after  all,  the  best  reliance.*     I    have 

*  Among  other  unsuccessful  applications  was  one  to  Capt. 
Coram,  the  founder  of  the  Foundling  Hospital  in  London. 
Mr  Barlow  Trecothick,  who  was  then  in  London,  waited  on 
him,  and  though  graciously  received,  had  no  sooner  mentioned 
the  purpose  of  his  visit,  than  he  was  obliged  to  listen  to  a  burst 
of  most  passionate  reproaches  against  the  vestry  of  King's 
Chapel  for  slighting  a  present  which  Capt.  Coram  had  for- 
merly made  them  of  a  piece  of  land.  All  the  explanations 
of  Mr  Trecothick  served  not  to  cool  the  old  gentleman's  rage, 
who  at  last  flatly  told  his  visitor,  with  an  oath,  "  that  he 
knew  it  was  in  his  power  to  serve  the  church  very  much, 
but  that  if  the  twelve  apostles  were  to  apply  to  him  in  be- 
half of  it,  he  would  persist  in  refusing  to  do  it."  This, 
says  Mr  Trecothick  in  his  communication  to  the  Committee 
"  I  thought  a  definitive  answer,  and  so  took  my  leave." 


PERIOD   SIXTH.  125 

hitherto  in  these  discourses  called  our  church  the 
oldest  episcopal  church  in  New  England,  not 
venturing  to  go  further ;  but  these  letters  advance 
a  still  higher  claim,  as  they  almost  constantly  de- 
scribe it,  though  no  doubt  erroneously,  as  the 
"  oldest  Church  in  British  America." 

In  March,  1753,  the  new  church  being  so  far 
advanced  that  it  was  necessary  to  desert  the  old 
one,  the  congregation  requested  and  obtained 
leave  to  meet  in  Trinity  Church  on  Sundays,  at 
separate  hours  from  the  congregation  of  that 
church,  and  on  festival  and  prayer  days  in  Mr 
Croswell's  meeting-house.*  In  April  the  old 
church  was  pulled  down.  Before  it  falls  to  the 
ground,  let  us  take  such  a  glimpse  of  its  venera- 
ble interior,  as  the  mist  of  dim  ages  will  allow  to 
us. 

Since  the  enlargement  of  the  Chapel  in  1710, 
and  the  erection  subsequently  of  galleries,  it  con- 

An  application  was  also  made  to  the  celebrated  Ralph 
Allen,  Esq.  of  Prior  Park,  near  Bath,  for  freestone  from  his 
quarries,  for  the  interior  and  ornamental  part  of  the  work. 
The  stone  was  promised,  but  as  it  was  found  that  the  ex- 
pense of  working  it  would  be  greatly  beyond  the  means  of 
the  church,  the  design  of  using  it  was  relinquished,  and 
wood  was  employed  instead    for  the  pillars  and    decorations. 

*  Dr  Sewall's  church  was  applied  for  to  be  used  on  Christ- 
mas day.  A  verbal  answer  was  returned  that  the  request 
was  granted,  only  it  was  "expected  that  the  House  should 
not  be  decorated  with  spruce,  &c." 


126  PERIOD    SIXTH. 

tained  122  pews,  of  which  number  82  were  on 
the  ground  floor.  But  these  pews  must  have 
been  small,  as  the  present  church  contains  no 
more.  The  pulpit  was  on  the  north  side  of  the 
church,  at  about  the  midst.  A  finely  decorated 
pew  for  the  governors  who  sat  successively  in  it, 
was  opposite  ;  and  near  it  there  was  another  pew 
reserved  for  officers  of  the  British  army  and  navy. 
In  the  west  gallery  of  this  first  episcopal  church, 
was  the  first  organ  which  ever  pealed  to  the 
praise  of  God  in  this  country ;  while  displayed 
along  its  walls,  and  suspended  from  its  pillars, 
after  the  manner  of  foreign  churches,  were  es- 
cutcheons and  coats  of  arms,  being  those  of  the 
king,  Sir  Edmund  Andros,  Francis  Nicholson, 
Captain  Hamilton,  and  Governors  Dudley,  Shute, 
Burnet,  Belcher  and  Shirley.  In  the  pulpit 
there  was  an  hour  glass,  according  to  the  old 
fashion,  mounted  on  a  large  and  elaborate  stand 
of  brass.  At  the  east  end  there  was  "  the  Altar 
piece,  whereon  was  the  Glory  painted,  the  Ten 
Commandments,  the  Lord's  Prayer,  the  Creed, 
and  some  texts  of  Scripture."  It  was  a  strange 
sight  among  the  bare  churches  of  New  England. 
Much  that  was  in  it  has  gone,  never  to  return. 
We  do  not  desire  that  it  should  return.  But  the 
mind  may  muse  on  these  tokens  of  rejected  royalty 
and  forgotten  heraldry,  if  without  regret,  yet  with 


PERIOD   SIXTH.  127 

that  tenderness  which  pays  a  due  respect  to  things 
which  were  venerated  aforetime,  and  which,  with 
other  shadows  of  earth,  have  passed  away. 

On  the  16th  of  August,  1754,  letters  of  thanks 
were  written  to  the  Ministers  and  Wardens  of 
Trinity  Church,  and  to  Mr  Croswell  and  his  Con- 
gregation, for  the  use  of  their  respective  houses 
of  worship ;  and  on  Wednesday,  the  21st  of  the 
same  month,  the  new  Chapel  was  opened  with 
prayers,  and  a  sermon  by  Mr  Caner,  from  Leviti- 
cus xix.  30.  "  Ye  shall  keep  my  Sabbaths,  and 
reverence  my  Sanctuary  ;  I  am  the  Lord."  Af- 
ter the  sermon  "  the  sum  of  £342  Old  Tenor,  was 
collected  towards  finishing  the  Chapel,  and  paid 
by  the  Church  wardens  to  Charles  Apthorp,  Esq. 
treasurer  to  the  Committee."  Though  the  house 
was  in  a  fit  state  for  the  services  of  the  sanctuary, 
it  was  yet  far  from  being  completed.  As  the 
Society  obtained  means,  they  went  on  with  the 
work  of  finishing  and  beautifying  it ;  and  up  to  the 
month  of  June,  1758,  it  had  cost  £7405  sterling. 

It  now  remains  for  me  to  give  an  account  of 
that  revolution  in  the  religious  sentiments  of 
our  church,  which  was  a  consequence  of  the 
great  political  revolution  of  our  country. 


PERIOD    SEVENTH. 


FROM  THE   ERECTION  OF    THE  STONE  CHAPEL    TO   THE 
PRESENT  TIME. 


THE  GLORY  OF  THIS  LATTER  HOUSE  SHALL  BE  GREATER 
THAN  OF  THE  FORMER,  SAITH  THE  LORD  OF  HOSTS  ; 
AND    IN    THIS     PLACE     WILL    I    GIVE    PEACE,   SAITH   THE 

lord   of  hosts.    Haggai,  h-  9. 

But  few  events  in  the  history  of  the  church 
require  to  be  recorded,  between  the  period  of  the 
erection  of  the  "  latter  house,"  and  the  breaking 
out  of  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 

The  Rev.  Charles  Brockwell,  assistant,  died 
on  the  20th  August,  1155,  and  the  Rev.  John 
Troutbeck  was  appointed  to  succeed  him  the 
same  year. 

In  1756  the  noble  organ  which  now  stands  in 
our  west  gallery  was  procured  from  England,  and 
paid  for  by  the  subscription  of  individuals  belong- 
ing to  the  church.  Its  original  cost  in  London 
was  £500  sterling ;  and  when  all  charges  were 
added,  its  whole  expense  amounted  to  £637. 
As  it  was   obtained   by  private  subscription,  no 


PERIOD   SEVENTH. 

notice  of  it  whatever  is  taken  in  the  church  re- 
cords. The  only  memorial  concerning  it  with 
which  I  am  acquainted,  is  a  paragraph  in  the 
"  Boston  Gazette  and  Country  Journal"  of  30th 
of  August,  1756,  which  is  copied  into  our  later 
records,  and  is  as  follows. 

"  We  hear  that  the  organ,  which  lately  arrived 
from  London  by  Capt.  Farr  for  King's  Chapel 
in  this  Town,  will  be  opened  on  Thursday  next 
in  the  Afternoon ;  and  that  said  organ  (which 
contains  a  variety  of  curious  stops  never  yet  heard 
in  these  parts)  is  esteemed  by  the  most  eminent 
masters  in  England,  to  be  equal,  if  not  superior 
to  any  of  the  same  size  in  Europe.  —  There  will 
be  a  sermon  suitable  to  the  Occasion  ;  Prayers  to 
begin  at  four  o'clock." 

There  is  a  very  current  tradition  respecting 
this  organ,  that  it  was  selected  by  Handel  him- 
self. Taking  into  consideration  the  above  refer- 
ence to"  the  most  eminent  masters  in  England," 
we  may  receive  this  tradition  as  founded  in  truth. 
And  moreover,  as  the  organ  was  designed  for  the 
King's  Chapel  in  New  England,  we  may  readily 
suppose  that  his  Majesty's  favorite  musician  would 
at  least  be  desired  to  give  his  opinion  of  its  mer- 
its ;  and  this  opinion,  being  favorable,  might  be 
called  a  selection,  even  if  the  "  mighty  master" 
gave  himself  no  further  trouble  with  its  purchase. 
9 


130  PERIOD    SEVENTH. 

Handel  died  in  1758,  and  was  blind  eight  years 
before  his  death.  But  sight  was  not  at  all  ne- 
cessary in  the  office  supposed  to  be  consigned  to 
him,  and  though  his  eyes  never  could  have  mea- 
sured the  external  proportions  of  this  organ,  his 
ears  most  probably  have  judged  of  its  tones  and 
powers,  and  his  own  hands  rested  on  its  keys. 

In  August,  1760,  Francis  Barnard  made  his 
public  entry  into  Boston  as  Governor  of  the  State  ; 
and  Mr  Caner  having  convened  the  Clergy  and 
Wardens  of  the  three  episcopal  churches,  waited 
on  him  with  an  address  of  congratulation.  The 
next  year,  at  the  Easter  meeting,  Gov.  Barnard 
was  placed,  according  to  the  established  usage,  at 
the  head  of  the  vestry  of  the  Chapel. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  intelligence  of  the  death 
of  George  II.  and  accession  of  George  III.,  Mr 
Caner  was  appointed  by  the  governor,  council 
and  house  of  representatives  to  preach  a  sermon 
on  the  occasion  ;  which  he  did  at  the  Chapel, 
Jan.  1,  1761  ;  and  the  sermon  was  printed. 
"  May  we,"  says  the  preacher,  in  the  concluding 
sentence  of  his  discourse,  "  May  we  and  all  his 
subjects,  duly  considering  whose  authority  he 
hath,  faithfully  serve,  honor,  and  humbly  obey 
him,  [the  King]  for  conscience'  sake,  according  to 
God's  holy  Word  and  ordinance,  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord ;  to  whom  with  the  Father  and 


PERIOD   SEVENTH.  131 

Holy  Ghost,  be  all  honor  and  glory,  might,  ma- 
jesty and  dominion,  both  now  and  for  evermore, 
Amen."  The  good  man  little  thought  that  he 
was  on  the  brink  of  a  deep  and  mighty  change. 
He  little  thought  that  a  political  revolution  was 
soon  to  drive  him  from  the  pulpit  and  country  in 
which  he  was  so  warmly  expressing  his  loyalty, 
and  that  in  a  few  years  his  concluding  ascription 
and  the  doctrine  which  it  denoted,  would  no  lon- 
ger be  heard  within  the  walls  of  this  chapel. 

In  1766,  Florentius  Vassal],  Esq.  of  London, 
sent  over  a  marble  monument  in  honor  of  his  an- 
cestor Samuel  Vassall,  requesting  that  it  might 
be  erected  in  the  Chapel.  Whereupon  the  ves- 
try voted  to  place  it  on  the  north  side  of  the  door, 
and  charged  Mr  Vassall  with  the  price  of  pew 
No.  43,  which  was  removed  to  give  it  room.  It 
is  an  interesting  monument,  and  still  stands  on  the 
spot  of  its  original  location,  which  seems  to  be- 
long to  it  by  right  of  purchase. 

In  1772,  an  additional  service  of  plate,  together 
with  new  pulpit  furniture,  was  obtained  from  the 
King  through  the  influence  of  Governor  Hutchin- 
son. 

In  1773,  the  ancient  records  end.  If  there 
are  any  others  in  existence,  embracing  the  remain- 
ing three  years  during  which  Dr  Caner  discharged 
his  duties  as  rector  of  the  church,  they  have  not 


]32  PERIOD   SEVENTH. 

been  recovered.  The  last  record  is  that  of  the 
Easter  meeting  of  1773,  and  the  last  vote  record- 
ed is,  "  that  the  old  bell,*  with  the  Apurtenances, 
be  given  to  the  Saint  Ann's  Church  in  Gardi- 
nerston." 

A  short  time  previous  to  the  breaking  out  of 
the  war,  and  through  the  whole  of  the  year  1775, 
King's  Chapel  was  the  place  of  worship  of  many 
of  the  officers  of  the  navy  and  army  of  Great 
Britain,  who  were  stationed  in  and  near  Boston  ; 
and  the  duties  of  Dr  Caner  and  his  assistant 
were  consequently  much  increased.  The  Church 
Register  of  Births,  Marriages,  and  Burials  for  the 
years  1775  and  1776,  furnish  ample  evidence  of 
this  fact.  The  last  burials  recorded  by  the  hand 
of  Dr  Caner,  at  this  time  trembling  with  age, 
are  those  of  three  soldiers  of  the  65th  regiment. 
In  March,  1776,  the  British  troops  evacuated  Bos- 
ton, and  Dr  Ca  ler  went  with  them.  His  assist- 
ant, Mr  Troutbeck,  left  the  church  in  November. 
The  congregation,  consisting  mostly  of  royalists, 
were  dispersed,  and  the  doors  of  the  chapel  were 
closed.  Dr  Caner  took  with  him  the  church 
registers,  vestments,  and  plate,   and  part  of  the 

*  A  new  bell  had  been  obtained  the  year  before,  which 
was  perhaps  the  finest  ever  heard  in  this  town,  ft  was  made 
in  London,  and  weighed  2475  lbs.  It  was  cracked  in  the 
year  1814,  by  an  injudicious  manner  of  tolling  it. 


PERIOD    SEVENTH.  133 

records  of  the  Vestry.  The  registers  were  ob- 
tained from  his  heirs  in  1805.  In  the  Register 
of  Marriages  he  had  written  the  following  note. 

•.March  10,  [1776.]  An  unnatural  Rebell- 
ion of  the  Colonies  against  his  Majesties  Govern- 
ment obliged  the  Loyal  Part  of  his  subjects  to 
evacuate  their  dwellings  and  substance,  and  to 
take  refuge  in  Halifax,  London  and  elsewhere  : 
By  which  means  the  public  Worship  at  King's 
Chapel  became  suspended,  and  is  like  to  remain 
so,  till  it  shall  please  God  in  the  Course  of  his 
Providence  to  change  the  Hearts  of  the  Rebels, 
or  give  success  to  his  Majesties  arms  for  suppress- 
ing the  Rebellion. 

"  Two  boxes  of  Church  Plate,  and  a  Silver 
Christening  Basin  were  left  in  the  hands  of  the 
Rev.  Dr  Breynton  at  Halifax  to  be  delivered  to 
me  or  my  Order,  agreeable  to  his  Note  Receipt 
in  my  hands.  H.  Caner." 

The  above  mentioned  plate  was  the  gift  of 
three  kings,  and  amounted  to  2800  ounces  of 
silver.  Neither  this  nor  the  vestments  were  ever 
recovered  ;  nor  is  their  recovery  to  be  desired. 

The  Chapel  remained  closed  till  the  autumn  of 
1777  ;  and  thenit  wasopened,not  for  episcopal  but 
congregational  services,  very  contrary  to  all  the 
anticipations  of  Dr  Caner.  The  congregation  of 
the    Old    South  Church,  not  being  able    at  that 


134  PERIOD    SEVENTH. 

time  to  repair  the  desolations  of  their  own  sanctu- 
ary, which  had  been  desecrated,  spoiled,  and  used 
as  a  riding-school  by  the  British  troops,  applied 
for  the  use  of  King's  Chapel,  or  the  Stone  Chap- 
el, as  it  then  for  obvious  reasons,  began  to  be 
universally  called.*  The  application  was  made 
to  the  few  proprietors  of  the  Chapel  who  were 
left,  and  was  readily  granted.  "  The  congrega- 
tion," says  Mr  Wisner  in  his  History  of  the  Old 
South  Church,  "  were  kindly  and  gratuitously 
accommodated  at  the  Chapel  about  five  years." 
This,  taken  in  connexion  with  an  earlier  event, 
is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  incidents  in  the 
history  of  our  church.  The  reception  of  the 
Old  South  Congregation  into  the  Chapel,  ap- 
pears in  the  light  of  an  atonement  made  by  the 
successors    of  those  episcopalians,  who,  nearly  a 

*  Everything  with  a  royal  sound  was  of  course  unpopular 
with  the  republicans.  King  Street  was  changed  to  State 
Street,  Queen  Street  to  Court  Street,  and  King's  Chapel  to 
Stone  Chapel,  which  is  still  its  common  though  not  legal 
and  proper  name.  I  have  been  informed  by  a  gentleman 
well  acquainted  with  the  antiquities  of  the  Chapel,  that 
before  the  revolution,  the  organ  was  surmounted  by  a  gilt 
crown  in  the  centre,  supported  by  two  gilt  mitres  on  the 
sides,  and  that  on  the  evacuation  of  the  town  by  the  troops, 
some  friend  or  member  of  the  church  prudently  caused 
them  to  be  taken  off  and  deposited  in  his  garret.  These 
ornaments,  as  may  be  supposed,  have  not  shared  with  the 
name  of  the  Chapel  in  its  restoration. 


PERIOD    SEVENTH.  135 

century  before,  took  forcible  possession  of  the 
South  Meeting-house.  The  event  could  not 
have  been  more  happy,  and  pleasant  to  contem- 
plate, if  it  had  been  devised  and  arranged  on 
purpose.  Well  would  it  be,  if  all  the  wrongs 
committed  by  parents,  could  thus  be  expiated 
by  the  children. 

In  1779,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Eckley,  pastor  of 
the  Old  South  congregation,  was  ordained  in  this 
church,  on  the  27th  of  October.  The  congre- 
gation remained  here  till  February,  1783,  when 
their  own  house  being  repaired,  they  re-dedicated, 
and  returned  to  it,  with  joy  and  singing. 

But  in  the  preceding  summer,  the  proprietors 
of  the  Chapel  had  resolved  to  re-occupy  it  for 
their  own  worship  ;  and  on  the  8th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1782,  Dr  Thomas  Bulfinch,  the  senior  war- 
den, addressed  a  letter  to  Mr  James  Freeman, 
then  at  Walpole,  which  was  followed  by  a  more 
formal  one,  signed  by  both  the  wardens,*  in 
which  he  was  invited  to  officiate  at  the  Chapel 
as  Reader,  for  six  months.  On  the  18th  of 
October,  Mr  Freeman  entered  on  his  duties  in 
that  capacity  ;  and  on  the  21st  of  April,  1783, 
at  the  Easter  meeting  of  the  Proprietors,  he  was 
chosen  Pastor  of  the  church,  with  a  salary  of 
two  hundred  pounds,  lawful  money. 

*  James  Ivers  was  Junior  Warden. 


136  PERIOD   SEVENTH. 

In  the  letter  of  the  wardens  to  Mr  Freeman, 
above  referred  to,  it  is  said  "  the  Proprietors  con- 
sent to  such  alterations  in  the  service  as  are  made 
by  the  Rev.  Dr  Parker ;  and  leave  the  use  of 
the  Athanasian  creed  at  your  discretion."  These 
alterations  of  Dr  Parker  were  merely  such  as 
the  altered  political  state  of  the  country  required. 
The  Athanasian  creed  was  always  unpopular  in 
the  American  Episcopal  Church,  and  when  that 
church  was  regularly  organized,  was  left  out  of 
its  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  But  much  greater 
alterations  than  these  were  afterwards  contem- 
plated by  Mr  Freeman,  whose  opinions  in  the 
course  of  a  year  or  two  underwent  some  important 
changes,  and  who  then  found  that  some  parts  of 
the  Liturgy  were  so  inconsistent  with  the  faith 
which  he  derived  from  the  Scriptures,  that  he 
resolved  no  longer  to  read  such  portions,  and  to 
propose  to  his  Society  an  amended  Form  of 
Prayer  for  public  use  at  the  Chapel. 

Before  such  a  form  was  offered,  however,  the 
proprietors  had  taken  measures  to  ascertain  who 
properly  belonged  to  the  church  as  pew-holders, 
and  what  pews  had  been  forfeited  by  the  absence 
of  their  former  owners,  according  to  the  letter  of 
their  deeds.  And  in  order  that  no  ground  of 
complaint  should  be  suffered  to  exist,  the  proprie- 
tors engaged  to    pay  for  every   vacated  pew,  al- 


PERIOD    SEVENTH.  137 

though  legally  forfeited,  the  sum  of  sixteen 
pounds  to  its  former  owner,  if  application  were 
made  for  the  same  within  one  year  from  the  pass- 
ing of  the  vote,  which  was  on  the  10th  of  Jan. 
1785.  Twenty  nine  pews  were  declared,  by  the 
report  of  a  committee  chosen  for  the  purpose,  to 
be  forfeited  to  the  church,  and  together  with  the 
Governor's  pew,  and  eight  others,  making  thirty- 
eight  in  all,  were  put  to  sale  for  its  benefit.  They 
were  first  offered  to  those  who  occupied  them  at 
the  time,  who  were  generally  desirous  of  pur- 
chasing them.  The  proceeds  were  to  be  devot- 
ed "  to  the  repairing  of  the  church,  and  finishing 
the  colonnade  and  spire."  The  colonnade  which 
now  surrounds  the  tower  was  not  reared,  how- 
ever, till  1790.  The  spire  is  not  yet  reared ; 
and  we  have  been  so  long  accustomed  to  the 
present  appearance  of  the  tower,  that  most  of 
us,  perhaps,  regard  it  as  finished  already. 

On  the  20th  of  February,  1785,  the  proprie- 
tors voted  that  it  was  necessary  to  make  some 
alterations  in  some  parts  of  the  Liturgy  ;  and  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  report  such  alterations. 
This  committee  consisted  of  seven  gentlemen,* 
in  addition  to  the  wardens,  who  were  to  consult 

*  John  Haskins,  John  Gardiner,  Charles  Williams,  Perez 
Morton,  Samuel  Breck,  Charles  Miller,  and  John  Wheel- 
wright. 


138  PERIOD   SEVENTH. 

and  communicate  with  the  Rev.  Mr  Freeman. 
On  Easter  Monday,  the  28th  of  March,  they 
reported  that  some  alterations  were  essentially 
necessary ;  and  the  alterations  as  reported  were 
read,  considered  and  debated  at  several  adjourn- 
ments. On  the  19th  of  June,  the  proprietors 
voted,  "  that  the  Common  Prayer,  as  it  now 
stands  amended,  be  adopted  by  this  church,  as 
the  form  of  prayer  to  be  used  in  future  by  this 
church  and  congregation."  The  yeas  and  nays 
being  called  for,  it  appeared  that  of  yeas  there 
were  twenty,  and  of  nays  seven  ;  and  three  out 
of  the  seven  dissentients  had  worshipped  at 
Trinity  Church  ever  since  the  year  1776.*  The 
alterations  made  in  the  Liturgy  were  principally 
those  of  Dr  Samuel  Clarke,  the  celebrated  Eng- 
lish divine,  and  for  the  most  part  were  such  as 
involved  the  omission  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity.     The  work  as  amended  was  immediate- 

*  The  yeas  were  Thomas  Bulfinch,  John  Gardiner,  John 
Wheelwright,  Joseph  May,  John  Jutau,  Eben.  Oliver, 
George  R.  Minot,  John  Amory,  John  Templeman,  Joseph 
Barrell,  Andrew  Johonnot,  Charles  Miller,  Henry  Johnson, 
Joseph  Coolidge,  Jacob  Porter,  Robert  Hewes,  Thomas 
Clement,  Joseph  Eayres,  Samuel  Breck,  Perez  Morton.  — 
The  nays  were  James  Ivers,  Theodore  Dehon,  John  Box, 
John  Haskins,  Matthew  Nazro,  Charles  Williams,  Ambrose 
Vincent.  Messrs  Dehon,  Box  and  Nazro  were  those  who 
had  worshipped  at  Trinity  Church  since  1776. 


PERIOD    SEVENTH.  139 

ly  put  to  press,  and  was  used  in  this  church  till 
the  year  1811,  when  other  amendments  were 
made.* 

Here  was  a  most  conspicuous,  and  as  we  must 
regard  it,  a  most  happy  revolution  ;  an  auspicious 
turning  from  the  dominion  of  creeds  and  phrases 
of  men's  device,  to  the  easy  yoke  and  authority 
of  simple  Scripture.  This  important  change  is 
to  be  attributed  mainly  to  the  judicious  and  learn- 
ed expositions  of  Mr  Freeman,  who  preached  a 
series  of  doctrinal  sermons  to  his  people,  and  by 
the  aid  and  influence  of  the  word  of  God,  moved 
them  to  respond  to  his  sentiments.  The  first 
Episcopal  church  in  New  England,  became  the 
first  Unitarian  church  in  America^  and  our 
venerated  senior  minister,  though  not  absolutely 
the  first  who  held  or  even  avowed  Unitarian  opin- 

*  In  1828  a  third  edition  of  the  Chapel  Liturgy  was  pub- 
lished, with  alterations  and  additions,  and  in  1831  a  fourth, 
containing  the  Chapel  Service  as  in  the  third,  with  the  ad- 
dition of  family  services  and  prayers,  and  a  collection  of 
hymns  for  private  and  domestic  use. 

A  collection  ot  Psalms  and  Hymns  for  public  worship  at 
the  Chapel,  was  published  in  1799,  superseding  Tate  and 
Brady.     Another  collection  was  introduced  in  1830. 

t  The  writer  does  not  mean  to  a-sert  that  King's  Chapel 
was  the  first  church  in  America,  in  which  Unitarian  opinions 
were  to  any  extent  entertained,  but  the  first  which  came 
out  and  appeared  before  the  world,  in  a  body,  as  a  Unitarian 
Church. 


140  PERIOD  SEVENTH. 

ions,  still  on  many  accounts  deserves  to  be  con- 
sidered as  the  father  of  Unitarian  Christianity  in 
this  country. 

Although  the  congregation  thus  adopted  a 
Liturgy  from  which  all  recognition  of  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Trinity  was  excluded,  as  being  an 
erroneous  and  unscriptural  doctrine,  they  never- 
theless continued  to  regard  themselves  as  episco- 
palians, and  desired  to  remain  in  connexion,  if 
possible,  with  the  American  Episcopal  Church. 
At  a  meeting  held  on  Sunday,  July  22d,  1787, 
they  voted  "  that  a  letter  be  addressed  to  the 
Rev.  Bishop  Provost  at  New  York,  to  inquire 
whether  ordination  for  the  Rev.  Mr  Freeman 
can  be  obtained  on  terms  agreeable  to  him  and 
to  the  proprietors  of  this  church,  —  and  that  this 
letter  be  drawn  up  by  the  Rev.  Mr  Freeman, 
and  signed  by  the  Wardens."  The  letter  was 
written,  approved,  and  sent ;  and  an  answer 
thereto  was  returned  by  the  Bishop,  in  which  he 
declined  giving  a  decision  in  a  business  of  such 
moment,  and  stated  that  it  was  to  be  referred,  by 
advice,  to  the  ensuing  General  Convention. 

The  congregation  then  determined  to  ordain 
Mr  Freeman  themselves.  A  plan  of  Ordination 
was  reported  on  the  4th  of  November,  and 
adopted  on  the  11th,  and  on  the  18th  of  the 
same  month,  1787,  it  was  carried  into  execution, 


PERIOD  SEVEiNTH.  141 

and  the  Rev.  James  Freeman  was  ordained  on 
the  afternoon  of  that  day,  by  a  solemn  and  ap- 
propriate form,  "  Rector,  Minister,  Priest,  Pas- 
tor, teaching  Elder,  and  public  Teacher1'  of  the 
Society  worshipping  at  King's  Chapel.  The 
evening  service  being  performed  as  usual,  the 
wardens  joined  Mr  Freeman  in  the  desk,  and  the 
senior  warden  made  a  short  address  to  the  pro- 
prietors and  congregation,  setting  forth  the  reasons 
of  the  present  procedure.  The  first  ordaining 
prayer  was  then  read  by  Mr  Freeman,  after  which 
the  senior  warden  read  the  ordaining  vote,  which 
was  unanimously  adopted  by  the  Society,  and 
signed  on  the  spot  by  the  wardens  in  their  be- 
half. Mr  Freeman  next  declared  his  acceptance 
of  the  office  to  which  he  had  been  chosen,  and 
signed  the  same.  The  ceremony  of  ordination 
was  then  performed  by  the  senior  warden,  who, 
as  the  representative  of  the  Society,  laid  his 
hand  on  Mr  Freeman,  and  declared  him  to  be 
their  Rector,  &c ;  in  testimony  of  which  he  de- 
livered to  him  a  bible,  enjoining  upon  him  "  a 
due  observance  of  all  the  precepts  contained 
therein."  He  then  blessed  him  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  and  "  the  whole  assembly,  as  one 
man,  spontaneously  and  emphatically  pronounced, 
Amen  /" 

After  this,  Mr  Freeman  read  the  second  ordain- 


142  PERIOD    SEVENTH. 

ing  prayer,  and,  an  anthem  having  been  sung, 
preached  on  the  duties  and  offices  of  a  Christian 
Minister.  Another  anthem  closed  this  affecting 
and  appropriate  service. 

The  validity  of  this  ordination  was  furiously 
assailed  in  the  newspapers  of  the  day,  as  might 
have  been  expected,  and  vehemently  protested 
and  argued  against  by  some  of  the  former  propri- 
etors of  the  church.  The  newspaper  abuse  was 
sufficiently  and  pleasantly  answered  in  a  short 
piece  attributed  to  the  Rev.  Dr  Belknap,*  always 
a  truly  liberal  and  charitable  man.  The  protest 
was  triumphantly  refuted  by  an  unpublished  re- 
ply of  the  wardens  of  King's  Chapel,  distinguish- 
ed for  good  sense  and  sound  argument.  A  sort  of 
repudiation  or  excommunication  of  Mr  Freeman 
and  his  church,  was  also  circulated  by  the  clergy- 
men of  five  episcopal  churches  of  New  England. 
But  all  the  notice  which  Mr  Freeman  took  of 
this,  was  to  send  it  to  the  Columbian  Centinel, 
requesting  its  insertion  in  that  paper. 

This  ordination  was  certainly  not  according  to 
received  episcopal  usage ;  but  in  the  circum- 
stances of  the  church  it  was  the  only  ordination 
attainable ;  and  it  is   impossible  to    prove  that  it 

*  Minister  of  the  church  in  Federal  Street,  author  of  a 
History  of  New  Hampshire,  &c. 


PERIOD    SEVENTH.  143 

was  not  according  to  Christian  principle.  With 
regard  to  its  validity,  there  are  few  liberal  Chris- 
tians at  this  day,  who  would  think  of  calling 
it  in  question,  or  of  doubting  that  it  was  as 
valid  as  that  of  any  clergyman  of  any  denom- 
ination in  this  or  any  other  land.  The  con- 
gregation of  the  chapel  were  well  acquainted 
with  the  ground  which  they  had  been  obliged 
to  take,  and  therefore  they  took  it  with  a  calm 
and  intelligent  determination.  "  A  minister  after 
ordination,"  say  the  wardens  and  vestry  in  their 
recorded  defence  of  their  Plan,  "  remains  exactly 
the  same  man  he  was  before ;  ordination  there- 
fore is  only  a  decent  human  institution.  It  is  a 
ceremony  by  which  a  minister  is  publickly  intro- 
duced into  office.  In  some  churches  the  bishop 
performs  this  ceremony,  but  this  is  not  indispens- 
ably requisite  ;  for  any  person  might  perform  it 
whom  the  people  chose  to  appoint.  —  All  the 
essential  powers  of  ordination  are  derived  from 
their  choice ;  the  bishop  gives  this  choice  his 
sanction  by  imposition  of  hands ;  but  where  he 
refuses  to  do  it,  the  minister  is  not  for  that  reason 
the  less  elected  or  ordained."  * 

*  The  Defence  of  the  Plan  of  Ordination,  or  Reasons  of 
the  Wardens  and  Vestry,  was  thought  to  be  too  long  to  be 
inserted  in  the  Appendix.  It  is  an  able  document,  in  which 
the  purposes  and  nature  of  ordination  are  discussed  with 
learning,  good  sense  and  a  manly  freedom. 


144  PERIOD   SEVENTH. 

It  will  be  only  necessary  for  me  to  glance 
at  some  remaining  events,  which,  though  not  less 
important  than  others  which  have  been  more  par- 
ticularly stated,  are  too  recent  to  admit  of  being 
dwelt  upon  more  minutely. 

A  bequest  of  Mr  William  Price  to  the  church, 
made  in  1770,  of  an  estate  in  that  part  of  Wash- 
ington Street  then  called  Cornhill,was  accepted  by 
the  church  in  1789.  And  this,  so  far  as  appears 
from  any  records,  was  the  first  acceptance  of  it. 
The  principal  condition  of  holding  it,  was  the 
preaching  of  a  course  of  eight  Lectures  during 
the  season  of  Lent,  by  the  Clergymen  of  the 
three  episcopal  churches.  The  right  of  our 
Church  to  the  estate  was  afterwards  called  in 
question  by  Trinity  Church,  and  submitted  to  a 
long  course  of  litigation.  The  result  was  a  com- 
promise lately  made  between  the  churches,  ac- 
cording to  which,  Trinity  Church  performs  the 
conditions  of  the  will,  takes  care  of  the  property, 
and  divides  the  income  with  King's  Chapel. 

In  1806,  the  members  of  the  West  Boston 
Society  worshipped  in  this  house,  while  their 
present  church  was  building. 

On  Sunday,  Jan.  1,  1809,  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Cary  was  ordained  associate  minister,  the  Rev. 
Mr  Freeman  assisting  at  the  ordination.  Mr 
Cary  continued  with  his  people,  useful,  respected 


PERIOD   SEVENTH.  L45 

and  beloved,  till  ill  health  compelled  him  to  re- 
linquish his  duties  in  1815,  and  seek  restoration 
abroad.  He  died  at  Royston  in  England  in  the 
October  of  this  same  year,  at  the  age  of  thirty,  and 
was  interred  in  the  Unitarian  Burying  Ground  at 
Hackney,  near  London,  where  a  suitable  monu- 
ment with  an  inscription  was  erected  over  his  re- 
mains by  his  people,  who  had  been  called  so  early 
to  mourn  for  him.  He  is  remembered  by  many 
among  us,  and  by  none  without  affectionate 
emotion. 

The  Rev.  Dr  Freeman  remained  in  the  sole 
care  of  the  church  till  the  year  1824.  On  Sun- 
day, Aug.  29,  of  that  year,  the  present  associate 
minister  was  publicly  inducted  into  the  office 
which  he  holds.*  In  the  summer  of  1826,  Dr 
Freeman's  health  demanded  his  retirement  into 
the  country,  and  he  has  not  yet  been  able  to  re- 
sume his  pastoral  duties. 

The  history  of  our  Chapel  is  now  brought  to 
a  close.  It  contains  more  interesting  facts  than 
belong,  as  I  am  convinced,  to  the  history  of  any 
other  church  in  our  country.  I  have  endeavored 
to  state  these  facts  as  concisely  as   I  could,  with 

*  On  this  occasion,  as  well  as  at  the  ordination  of  Mr 
Cary,  the  ceremony  of  presenting  a  Bible  was  performed 
by  Dr  Freeman. 

10 


146  PERIOD   SEVENTH. 

a  proper  attention  to  their  importance,  and  the 
space  of  time  which  they  occupy  in  the  life  of 
our  native  state  and  native  land.  I  began  with 
the  first  symptoms  of  episcopacy  in  the  time  of 
our  first  governor ;  proceeded  to  the  erection  of 
the  wooden  Chapel  in  1688  or  '9,  and  the  ser- 
vices of  the  first  Rector,  Robert  RatclifTe,  and 
have  brought  the  narrative  down  through  the 
times  of  the  three  other  ante-revolutionary  rec- 
tors, Myles,  Price  and  Caner,  with  their  respec- 
tive assistants,  in  number  eight,  to  the  present 
republican  and  unitarian  era,  during  which  there 
have  been  only  one  rector,  or  senior  minister, 
and  two  associates  or  colleagues. 

Our  church,  as  a  building,  has  undergone  no 
considerable  change  since  the  revolution,  ex- 
cept the  erection  of  the  colonnade  at  the  West 
End,  or  Front,  winch,  as  already  stated,  was 
put  up  in  the  year  1790.  The  crown  and  mitres 
have,  to  be  sure,  disappeared  from  their  stations 
on  the  top  of  the  organ,  and  the  Governor's 
pew,  with  its  Corinthian  pillars  and  crimson  dam- 
ask tapestry,  has  been  lately  taken  down,  and 
converted  into  two  pews  of  common  size  and 
pretensions.  But  the  architecture  and  interior 
arrangements,  are,  in  all  other  respects,  the  same 
as  before  the  war.  The  Vassal  monument,  and 
wo  mural  tablets,  one  to  the  memory  of  Frances 


PERIOD   SEVENTH.  147 

Shirley,  the  lady  of  Governor  Shirley,  and  their 
daughter,  Mrs  Bollan,*  and  the  other  to  that 
of  Charles  Apthorp,  Esq.  maintain  their  old 
situations,  and  form  interesting  and  appropriate 
decorations  of  the  church  ;  —  so  interesting 
and  appropriate  that  I  have  sometimes  wondered 
that  others  of  a  similar  character  have  not  been 
added  to  their  number.  I  speak  with  particular 
reference  to  the  tablets,  which  seem  to  be  better 
adapted  to  the  size  of  our  churches,  than  larger 
and  more  expensive  monuments,  because  they 
clothe  the  walls  and  fill  the  sanctuary  with  solemn 
and  tender  associations,  without  obtruding  them- 
selves, or  occupying  a  disproportionate  or  incon- 
venient share  of  space. 

With  regard  to  our  religious  opinions,  we  in- 
deed differ  widely,  in  some  respects,  from  those 
who  once  met  for  worship  in  this  temple.  Of 
these  it  is  sufficient  to  say,  that  we  believe  them 
to  be  true  and  scriptural,  and  hold  them  to  be 
precious.  Though  we  have  no  objection  to  the 
name  or  office  of  bishop,  when  used  in  a  scriptural 
sense,  and  exercised  in  a  scriptural  manner,  yet  we 
claim  to  be  interpreters  of  the  meaning  of  scrip- 
ture, on  that  as  well  as  on  other  topics,  for  our- 
selves.    And  though  we  refuse  not  to  be  designa- 

*  The  Latin  inscription  on  this  tablet  has  been  greatly 
and  deservedly  admired.  Over  the  tablet  is  a  marble  bust 
of  Mrs  Shirley. 


148  PERIOD    SEVENTH 

ted  by  the  term  episcopal,  yet  so  long  as  episco- 
palians deem  the  doctrine  of  the  trinity  to  be 
essential,  and  an  assent  to  it  indispensable,  we, 
as  Unitarians,  cannot  join  with  them,  nor  can  they 
receive  us ;  and  our  communion  with  our  Unita- 
rian brethren  of  the  Congregational  order  must 
necessarily  be  much  more  intimate  than  with 
them.  But  we  retain  and  prefer  the  ancient 
Liturgy,  simplified  and  altered  in  conformity  with 
our  opinions,  and  in  this  respect  differ  from  Con- 
gregationalists  and  others  who  use  no  regular  form 
of  public  worship.  In  unity  of  spirit  and  the 
bond  of  peace  we  desire  to  join  with  all  our 
brethren,  and  in  righteousness  of  life  to  be  re- 
conciled unto  God,  through  his  Son  Jesus  Christ. 
This  is  not  the  place  to  enter  into  an  argument 
concerning  the  truth  or  excellence  of  our  doctrin- 
al opinions,  as  compared  with  those  of  our  pre- 
decessors. I  must,  however,  observe,  that  if  we 
have  not  more  truth,  we  certainly  have  more 
peace  than  they.  This  is  not  to  be  attributed, 
however,  so  much  to  our  change  of  religious  sen- 
timents, as  of  our  political  and  ecclesiastical  con- 
dition. It  has  given  me  pain  to  relate  the  conten- 
tions and  troubles  which  arose  from  time  to  time 
between  the  rector  and  his  assistant,  and  the 
church  and  their  ministers,  and  principally  concern- 
ing services,  prerogatives  and  perquisites,  from  the 


PERIOD   SEVENTH 


149 


beginning  down  to  the  revolution.  From  that 
date,  from  the  very  time  of  our  severance  from 
the  mother  church  and  the  parent  state,  there  has 
been  not  a  single  disagreement  from  those  causes,  or 
from  any  cause,  so  far  as  I  can  learn.  The  words 
of  the  prophet  which  stand  at  the  head  of  this 
discourse,  sound  in  this  connexion  like  prophecy 
for  us.  "  The  glory  of  this  latter  house  shall  be 
greater  than  of  the  former,  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  and  in  this  place  will  I  give  peace,  saith 
the  Lord  of  hosts."  So  may  it  ever  be.  "  Peace 
be  within  thy  walls  !  —  for  my  brethren  and  com- 
panions' sakes  I  will  wish  thee  prosperity." 


APPENDIX. 


CURIOUS    EXTRACTS    FROM    THE    OLD    RECORDS. 

Aug.  8.  1686.  Pd  Mr  Maccartie  for  the  outside  of 
the  pulpit  Cushion  and  Silke  £1,  7s.  Pd  Mr  Buckley 
for  makeing  fringe  and  Tassells  and  Silke  10s.  Pd. 
Mr  Shippen  makeing  the  Cushion,  for  the  feathers, 
pillow,  and  Case,  16s. 

Sept.  20.  Pd  for  wood  delivered  the  old  Elathera 
man  and  woman  10s. 

Xov.  1.  By  money  given  a  poore  man  in  Necessi- 
tie,  2s. 

July  22.  1689.  By  cash  paid  Mr  Miles  and  Clarke 
£1,  5s.     And  to  old  goody,  a  poore  woman,  5s. 

July  23.  By  Cash  paid  for  our  Church  Bell  to  Mr 
John  Butter  by  Mr  ffoxcroft,  £13,  5s. 

Feb.  20.  By  Cash  for  one  and  twenty  weekes  for 
Mr  Miles  at  12s.  per  weeke,  for  meatte,  drinke,  wash- 
ing, lodging,  fire  and  candle,  £12,  12s. 

July  To.  Being  a  day  of  Humilliation,  Reed  for 
the  poore  £3,  5s  Sd. 

Sept.  21.  1691.     It  must  not  be  forgot  that  Sir  Rob- 


152  APPENDIX. 

ert  Robbinson  gave  a  new  silk  damask  cushion  and 
cloth  pulpit  cover. 

Mr  John  Mills,  a  Barbados  gentleman  gave  a  piece 
plate,  a  Cup. 

Dec.  25.  1691.  Mr  Thomas  Gold  and  Mr  Wm. 
Weaver  gave  a  brass  standard  for  an  hour-glass. 

April  3.  1692.  Payd  for  greene  boughs  against 
Whitesun-tide  Is  4c?. 

January,  1695-6,  Governor  Nicholson  sent  ffox- 
croft  a  bill  for  sterl.  £15,  and  ordered  the  disposall 
thus,  £5  to  the  minister,  £5  to  the  poore  at  Xmas, 
£5  to  buy  bibles  with  Common  prayers  and  singing 
psalmes  for  the  poorer  sort  of  the  Church. 

1697.  WhitSunday,  Paid  Mr  Coyneyball  for  buy- 
ing and  carting  Poses,  and  hanginge  the  Doares,  8s. 

Dec.  20.     Paid  for  a  stone  Gug  Clark  Hill  broak,  6s. 

Crismas  day,  paid  for  Bread  and  Wine  at  the  Sacra- 
mant,  12s. 

March  29.  1698.  Paid  Mr  Shelson  for  his  Loucking 
after  the  Boyes,  £1.* 

April  1.  1699.     By  Loss  in  brass  money,  13s. 

July  24.  1701.  At  a  vestry  meeting.  Ordered, 
that  Gierke  Hill  shall  wash  the  Church  once  in  a 
month  during  the  Summer  ;  Sweep  it  twice  in  every 
week,  and  brush  the  dust  off  the  seats,  shelves  and 
tops  of  the  pews ;  Shall  go  out  and  appease  the  boys 
and  Negros  and  any  disorderly  persons  ;  to  provide  a 
seat  for  Strangers  according  as  they  appear ;  to  ring 
the  bell,  open  the  doors  and  windows  and  shut  them  as 
formerly,  and  take  care  of  the  books,  &c. 

*  The  miserable  spelling  which  occurs  in  the  four  last  en- 
tries is  to  be  placed  to  the  account  of  the  churchwarden,  or  his 
amanuensis,  and  not  of  the  age. 


APPENDIX.  153 

Aug.  4.  Paid  for  scouring  the  brass  frame  for  the 
hour  glass,  10a.  Paid  for  broom  and  brush  and  pail 
3s. 

March  28.  1702.  Reed  from  Doct  Checkley,  being 
most  part  bad  money  £15  8. 

.Vor.  23.  Paid  Mr  Childe  painting  the  hour  glass, 
3s. 

Aug.  17.  1705.  Vestry  meeting.  Ordered  that  the 
Deed  of  Land  given  by  Coram,  lying  at  Taunton,  be 
recorded,  that  the  Church  Wardens  enquire  into  the 
value  of  the  Land,  and  to  deliver  their  opinions  to  the 
Vestry  at  their  next  meeting. 

April  15.  1713.  James  Berry  chosen  to  look  after 
the  Boys,  and  is  to  have  26s.  per  yeare  for  the  same. 

Voted  that  there  shall  be  20  Vestry  men  beside  the 
Govr  Left  Govr  Church  Wardens  and  minister.  That 
whereas  Judd  had  5s.  per  week,  he  shall  have  6s. 
The  last  Bell  to  ring  at  10  of  the  Clock  in  the  Morn- 
ing the  whole  yeare,  and  3  o'Clock  in  the  Afternoone 
from  the  10th  of  March  to  the  10th  September,  and  at 
2  the  other  months.  The  Bread  and  Wine  at  the  Com- 
munion to  be  payd  out  of  the  Contribution  money. 
The  Psalmes  of  Tate  and  Brady  to  be  sung  in  the 
Church.  Every  Sunday  the  Commandments  are  to  be 
read  at  the  Communion  Table. 

Aug.  12.  Voted  that  the  Pillers,  Capitalls  and  Cor- 
nish of  the  Church  be  painted  wainscott  colour,  before 
the  scaffold  be  taken  down. 

JVov.  16.  1714.  Voted  by  the  Vestry  (with  Mr 
Myles's  Approbation)  that  Mr  Harris  may  go  Home; 
he  proposing  to  return  by  Midsummer  next ;  and  that 
Mr  Myles  be  allowed  20s.  more  per  week  during  Mr 
Harris's  absence. 


154  APPENDIX. 

April  18.  1715.  Mr  James  Baker  chosen  Clerk  for 
the  year  ensueing,  he  behaving  himself  as  he  ought 
to  do. 

July  10.  1717.  Vestry  Meeting.  Upon  reading  an 
Agreement  of  the  Neighbourhood  of  School  Street  re- 
lateing  to  the  Paveing  of  the  same,  it  was  then  and 
there  Agreed  that  the  present  Church  Wardens  should 
agree  with  suitable  persons  to  pave  the  Churches  pro- 
portion in  said  street,  and  to  pay  for  the  same  out  of 
the  Church  Stock,  if  they  cannot  obtaine  subscriptions 
for  the  same. 

Decemb.  6.  Voted  that  there  be  a  new  Pulpit  forth- 
with built,  and  that  it  stand  against  the  pillar  in  the 
officers  Pew. 

Voted  that  Mr  Mills  and  Mr  ffrancklin  have  liberty  to 
build  a  Tomb  under  the  East  End  of  the  Church. 

April  18.  1720.  Those  that  have  the  possession  of 
pews  and  don't  pay  contribution,  to  have  them  taken 
away  and  sold  to  others  that  will ;  notice  being  first 
publickly  given,  the  Churchwardens  being  empowered 
to  dispose  of  them. 

That  D.  Rutley  be  appointed  to  keep  good  order 
amongst  the  Boys,  and  that  for  his  trouble  he  be  allow- 
ed 12c?.  per  Sunday.* 

April  6.  1724.  Voted,  by  a  vote  of  the  congrega- 
tion, that  Mr  Nathaniel  Gifford  be  organist  for  the 
year  ensuing,  and  that  he  play  a  Voluntary  before  the 
first  Lesson,  and  attend  the  Church  upon  all  Holy 
Days. 

*  To  keep  good  order  among  the  boys,  or  in  the  words  of 
the  vote  of  1701,  "  to  appease  the  boys  and  negros,"  was 
in  fact  a  regular  office  in  the  church,  for  many  years,  dis- 
tinct from  the  sexton's. 


APPENDIX.  155 

June  4.  Voted  that  Mr  William  Randle  be  sent  to 
the  Reverend  Mr  Henry  Harris,  to  desire  the  letter 
he  promised  to  give  the  30th  of  last  April  ;  and 
answered  he  had  no  timely  notice,  and  that  he  would 
have  nothing  to  say  to  us. 

Voted  that  the  Minister  and  Churchwardens  of  the 
King's  Chappie  make  a  faithfull  and  just  representa- 
tion to  my  Lord  of  London  of  the  Revd  Mr  Henry 
Harris's  conduct  for  the  last  two  years. 

April  4.  1727.  Voted,  that  the  Church  Wardens  for 
the  time  being  provide  a  good  strong  Box,  with  three 
different  Locks  and  Keys,  one  of  which  Keys  shall  be 
always  kept  by  the  eldest  Church  Warden,  one  other 
key,  by  the  other  Church  Warden  for  the  time  being, 
and  the  third  key  by  such  proper  person  as  the  Congre- 
gation shall  appoint,  and  that  the  Box  containing  the 
Church  money  shall  be  lodged  at  the  ministers  house. 

Voted.  That  Mr  Job  Lewis  be  the  third  person  to 
keep  the  third  key  for  the  year  ensuing. 

Voted.  That  the  said  Church  Wardens  and  said 
Mr  Job  Lewis  shall  meet  at  the  place  where  the  said 
box  is  kept  on  the  first  Monday  in  every  Month,  and 
make  fair  entries  in  the  book,  and  put  into  the  said 
strong  box  such  monies  as  shall  be  in  the  eldest  church 
Wardens  hands,  and  do  all  other  business  relating  to 
the  stock  which  is  never  managed  only  by  the  eldest 
Church  Warden,  except  paying  the  weekly  saleries 
and  mending  the  windows.  And  that  no  sum  of  money 
shall  be  put  out  to  Interest  without  the  consent  of  two 
of  the  key  keepers  at  least.  And  in  case  any  one  of  the 
key  keepers  should  want  any  money  upon  Interest  with 
Good  Security,  he  shall  have  the  approbation  of  the 
other  two.  And  that  no  person  shall  have  any  Sum 
exceeding  one  hundred  pounds  without  Land  Security. 


]56  APPENDIX. 

Aug.  3,  1727.  At  a  meeting  of  the  Vestry  at  Mr 
Thomas  Selby's,  voted,  that  the  Church  Wardens  be 
desired  and  empowered  to  sign  a  certain  memorial  to 
the  Generall  Court,  in  relation  to  the  ministers  of  the 
Church  of  England  in  Boston  being  overseers  of  the 
Colledge  att  Cambridge. 

Voted,  that  the  Church  Wardens  shall  be  empowered 
to  pay  one  half  of  the  present  contingent  charge,  and 
what  hereafter  may  arise  by  presenting  to  effect  a 
certain  memoriall  to  the  Great  and  Generall  Court  ex- 
hibited asserted  and  maintaining  of  the  Right  of  the 
Rev.  Dr  Timothy  Cutler  and  Samuel  Miles  being  re- 
jected as  Overseers  of  Harvard  Colledge  according  to 
the  originall  Establishment. 

April  29. 1728.  Voted  that  the  Governors  Pew  be 
new  lined  with  China,  and  that  the  Cushions  and 
Chairs  be  covered  with  Crimson  Damask,  and  the  Cur- 
tains to  the  Window  be  of  the  same  Damask. 

Nov.  25.  Voted  that  the  Church  wardens  look  into 
the  Vault  where  Mr  Myles  lyes  interred,  and  consider 
what  may  be  proper  to  be  done  in  removing  his  Corps  5 
and  to  act  as  they  shall  think  proper. 

July  25.  1729.  Voted  that  a  Gallery  be  built  on  the 
South  and  S.  East  of  the  Church,  excepting  over  his  Ex- 
cellency's seat,  over  which  there  is  only  to  be  a  passage. 

Aug.  11.  1730.  Voted,  that  His  Excellency  Gov. 
Belcher's  Arms  be  painted  and  put  over  his  Pew  in 
King's  Chapel. 

March  26.  1733.  The  Rev.  Mr  Roger  Price  claimed 
his  right  of  choosing  a  Church  Warden,  but  was  over- 
ruled by  the  Congregation. 

March  30.  Voted,  that  the  pew  (No.  62)  that  was 
formerly  the  Reverend  Mr  Samuel  Myles's,  our  late 


APPENDIX.  157 

Oct.  11.  Voted,  that  the  Brass  Stand  for  the  hour 
glass  be  lent  to  the  Church  of  Scituate,  as  also  three 
Diaper  napkins,  provided  the  Reverend  Mr  Addington 
Davenport  their  minister  gives  his  note  to  return  the 
same  to  the  Church  wardens  of  this  Church  for  the 
time  being  whensoever  this  Church  shall  see  meet  to 
demand  them. 

Oct.  29.  Voted,  that  Robert  Auchmuty,  John  Reed, 
John  Oberine,  William  Shirley  and  William  Bolan  Esqrs, 
have,  each  of  them,  a  retaining  fee  of  three  pounds  for 
the  service  of  the  suffering  members  of  the  Church  of 
England  in  this  Province. 

May  22. 1734.  Voted,  that  the  Church  Wardens  be 
empowered  to  have  a  place  fixed  up  in  the  Belfrey  to 
place  the  Books  in  belonging  to  the  Library  of  King's 
Chape],  and  that  the  Books  be  removed  from  Mr  John 
Barnes's  house  to  said  place  in  the  Belfrey,  the  Church 
Wardens  taking  a  Catalogue  of  the  same. 

April  7.  1735.  Voted,  that  the  Church  Library  be 
delivered  unto  the  Rev.  Mr  Roger  Price  for  the  use  of 
the  Ministers  belonging  to  the  Church  of  England  in 
Boston,  he  giving  a  Receit  to  be  accountable  for  the 
same  to  the  Church  Wardens  for  the  time  being,  when 
and  so  often  as  desired  by  the  Church. 

June  17.  1737.  Whereas  Thomas  Child  one  of  the 
present  Church  Wardens  is  chose  a  Juryman  for  the 
next  Inferior  Court  of  Common  Pleas  to  be  holden  at 
Boston  the  first  Tuesday  of  July  next,  Voted,  that  he  do 
not  serve,  and  if  he  is  fined,  to  appeal  to  the  Seshions 
and  stand  tryall,  and  the  Charge  to  be  paid  out  of  the 
Church  Stock. 

Sept.  5.  The  Rev.  Mr  Price  informed  the  Vestry 
that  severall  Gentlemen  had  desired  him  and  the  Rev. 


158  APPENDIX. 

Mr  Davenport  to  performe  Divine  Service  in  Trinity 
Church  untill  the  said  Church  was  supplied  with  a 
Minister,  and  desired  to  know  if  they  had  any  objec- 
tion. The  major  part  was  of  opinion  they  might  sup- 
ply that  Church  till  Easter  next. 

May  15.  1738.  Voted,  that  the  Sexton  be  sent  to 
each  family  of  the  Congregation  of  the  King's  Chappell, 
with  one  of  Mr  Commissary  Price's  Sermons  preached 
on  the  death  of  the  Queen,  and  that  a  Church  Meet- 
ing be  called  as  soon  as  conveniently  can  be  to  know 
whether  the  charge  shall  be  paid  out  of  the  Church 
Stock. 

April  14.  1740.  The  question  being  put  whether 
the  Pew  number  39  is  become  vacant  by  the  Rev.  Mr 
John  Checkley's  removal  with  hisffamily  to  Providence 
in  Rhod-Island  Government,  and  being  there  settled 
as  a  missionary  to  the  Church  there  —  and  it  not  ap- 
pearing that  he  has  paid  contribution  according  to  the 
votes  of  this  Church  —  It  passed  in  the  affirmative. 

April  3.  1740.  Reed,  of  Mr  Sylvester  Gardner  Six- 
teen Pounds  Two  Shills,  in  full  for  Wine  for  the  Chap- 
pie for  the  year  past.     Jno.  Hancock. 

May  16.  1751.  Voted,  that  the  following  advertise- 
ment be  printed  in  the  Newspapers  that  come  out  on 
Monday  and  Tuesday  next,  and  that  the  Wardens 
cause  the  same  to  be  done. 

Advertisement.  —  Upon  the  melancholy  News  of  the 
death  of  his  Royal  Highness  the  late  Prince  of  Wales, 
the  Wardens  and  Vestry  of  King's  Chapel  mett,  and 
voted  that  the  same  be  Solemnised  at  King's  Chapel  on 
Wednesday  the  22d  instant.  Upon  which  occasion 
the  Pulpit  will  be  hung  in  Black,  and  a  Sermon 
preached  by  the  Revd.  Mr  Caner  suitable  to  that  So- 
lemnity.   Divine  Service  will  begin  at  11  O'Clock. 


APPENDIX.  1 59 

Oct.  31.  1753.  That  a  Guinea  each  be  given  to 
Jeremiah  Gridley  and  James  Otis  Esqrs.  as  a  retain- 
ing fee  for  defence  of  the  Church's  right  to  the  Lands 
at  Taunton  left  to  the  Chappel  by  Mr  Thomas  Coram, 
in  case  a  suit  should  commence  on  said  account.  And 
that  Eliakim  Hutchinson  take  the  conduct  of  said  affair 
in  behalfe  and  for  the  benefite  of  the  Church. 

May  27.  1754.  At  a  Vestry.  Eliakim  Hutchinson 
Esq.  reported,  that  agreeable  to  a  vote  of  the  Vestry 
the  31st  October,  1753,  he  had  settled  the  affair  of  the 
Land  at  Taunton  left  to  the  Chapel  by  Mr  Thomas 
Coram,  with  Mr  Stephen  Burt  the  present  possessor, 
and  the  said  Burt  would  pay  the  Gentlemen  of  the  Ves- 
try one  hundred  pounds  Lawfull  money  within  twelve 
month?  from  the  25th  cf  this  instant,  upon  their  suffer- 
ing a  recovery  against  them  at  the  next  Inferior  Court 
at  Taunton  in  the  County  of  Bristol,  and  giving  a 
Quitt  Claim  to  said  Land.  —  Voted  that  Eliakim 
Hutchinson  be  impowered  to  proceed  in  the  above 
affair  according  to  the  agreement  made  with  Mr  Burt, 
and  that  the  hundred  pounds  Lawful  money  when  re- 
ceived shall  be  applyed  towards  the  building  of  the 
new  Chapel. 

•Aug.  21.  1754.  Voted  that  no  Negros  be  admitted 
to  sitt  or  stand  in  any  of  the  Isles  dureing  the  time  of 
Divine  Service,  but  that  the  Sexton  be  directed  to 
order  them  up  into  the  Gallery. 

Oct.  13.  1759.  Whereas  the  Governor,  Council  and 
house  of  Representatives  appointed  Tuesday  the  16th 
Instant  to  be  observed  at  Doct  SewalFs  meetinghouse 
as  a  Public  Thanksgiving  to  Almighty  God  for  the  great 
Victory  his  Majesty's  Arms  has  obtained  over  the 
French  at  Quebeck,  and  for  reducing  that  City  to 


160  APPENDIX. 

Obedience  of  the  Crown  of  Great  Britain — Voted, 
that  the  same  be  observed  at  the  same  time  by  this 
Church,  and  that  the  Rev.  Mr  Caner  be  desired  to 
preach  on  that  Occasion. 

Sunday,  March  30.  1760.  A  Brief  was  read  in  the 
Church  for  a  collection  to  be  made  the  3d  of  April  to- 
wards the  relief  of  the  sufferers  in  the  great  Fire  which 
happened  in  this  Town  on  the  20th  March,  1760. 

Agreeable  thereto  there  was  collected  on  said  3d  of 
April,  being  the  annual  Fast  day  appointed  by  the 
Government  Nine  hundred  and  twenty  five  pounds  six 
shillings  old  Tenor  towards  the  relief  of  said  suffer- 
ers ;  which  sum  was  paid  into  the  hands  of  John 
Phillips  Esq.  Treasurer  to  the  Committee  appointed 
by  the  Government  to  distribute  the  same. 

(A  collection  had  been  made  Nov.  25,  1759,  for  the 
sufferers  by  another  fire,  at  which  were  collected 
£529  12s.  Old  Tenor.) 

April  1.  1771.  Whereas  the  Hon  Lieutenant  Gen- 
eral Shirley,  formerly  Governor  of  this  Province,  lately 
deceased,  did  for  several  years  attend  the  public  wor- 
ship at  King's  Chapel,  to  which  he  was  a  warm  friend 
and  a  very  generous  benefactor  —  For  his  more  Hon- 
orable Interment  and  to  testify  their  gratitude  for  his 
many  useful  and  excellent  services,  the  Proprietors  of 
said  Chapel  have  this  day  Voted,  that  John  Erving  Jun. 
Esq.  have  liberty  to  deposit  the  Corps  of  the  said  Lieut. 
Gen.  Shirley,  and  any  other  of  his  family,  or  decend- 
ants,  in  the  Tomb  No  18  under  said  Chapel. 

April  20.  1772.  Voted  that  the  Vestry  be  desired  to 
form  a  plan  for  one  or  more  Stoves  in  the  Church,  and 
report  to  this  Congregation. 

Aug.  13.     The  question  being  put  whether  the  Ves- 


APPENDIX.  161 

try  has  power  to  regulate  Toleing  the  bell  for  funer- 
als, voted  in  the  affirmative. 

Voted,  that  that  the  first  and  second  hell  for  Funer- 
als be  Toled  in  the  usual  manner,  and  hut  Eight  min- 
utes each  time. 

Voted  that  the  manner  of  Toleing  the  third  or  pass- 
ing bell  be  altered,  and  that  she  strikes  only  four  times 
in  a  minute. 

Dec.  1.  Voted,  that  the  Rev.  Dr  Caner  and  the 
Churchwardens  wait  on  his  Excellency  the  Governor, 
and  return  him  thanks  for  procuring  the  King's  donation 
for  a  Service  of  Plate  and  pulpit  Furniture  for  the 
King's  Chapel. 

Voted,  that  as  Salem  Church  has  made  application 
to  this  Church  at  Easter  last  for  their  old  pulpit  Furni- 
ture as  soon  as  they  shall  receive  their  new,  by  the 
influence  of  Governor  Hutchinson,  Vote  that  the 
Minister  and  Wardens  deliver  to  them  the  Old  Furni- 
ture on  their  application  for  the  same. 

Voted,  that  three  new  Folio  prayer  Books  be  also 
given  to  Salem  Church,  who  we  understand  is  almost 
destitute  of  common  prayer  books,  for  their  Reading 
Desk  and  Clerks  Desk. 


II. 

king's  chapel  library. 

[See  page  55. J 

1.  A  record  of  the  meeting  of  the  Proprietors,  at 
which  it  was  voted  to  deposit  the  library  in  the  Boston 
Athenaeum. 

11 


1(32  APPENDIX. 

July  27.  —  At  a  special  meeting  of  the  proprietors 
held  pursuant  to  the  usual  notification,  at  the  Vestry 
immediately  after  morning  service  on  Sunday,  27  July, 
1823. 

Revd.  Dr  Freeman  opened  the  meeting  by  stating 
the  object  for  which  it  was  called,  Avith  suitable  re- 
marks ;  after  a  short  discussion  Col.  May  proposed 
the  following  which  was  unanimously  adopted,  viz. 

Whereas  the  Books  belonging  to  King's  Chapel  Li- 
brary, were  in  the  year  1807,  by  permission  of  the  Pro- 
prietors deposited  with  the  Theological  library  in  the 
Vestry  Room  of  First  Church,  in  Chauncy  Place  ;  and 
whereas  the  Proprietors  of  the  Theological  Library, 
have  at  a  regular  meeting  lately  passed  a  vote,  that  in 
their  opinion  it  is  expedient  and  advisable  for  the  pre- 
servation of  the  books  and  for  the  better  accommoda- 
tion of  the  Proprietors,  that  the  said  Theological 
Library  be  removed  from  First  Church  vestry,  and 
placed  in  the  Atheneum  under  charge  of  the  proper 
officers  of  that  institution. 

Therefore  —  Voted,  that  the  Proprietors  of  this 
Church  do  consent  and  agree  that  the  said  books  be- 
longing to  King's  Chapel  library  be  removed  carefully 
with  the  other  books  of  the  Theological  library  from 
the  Vestry  of  First  Church  to  the  Atheneum,  and  de- 
posited in  the  keeping  of  that  establishment  on  the 
following  conditions. 

First.  That  a  fair  catalogue  of  all  said  books,  be 
made  out  by  the  Librarian  of  the  Atheneum,  and  lodged 
with  the  Wardens  of  this  Church. 

Second.  That  the  Ministers  of  this  Church  and 
their  Successors  shall  be  entitled  to  the  privileges  of 
Life  subscribers  of  the  Boston  Atheneum. 


APPENDIX.  163 

Third.  That  the  Wardens  of  the  Church,  for  the 
time  being,  shall  have  the  right  to  visit  semiannually 
the  Atheneum,  to  witness  the  safe  keeping  and  good 
order  of  the  books. 

Fourth.  That  the  Proprietors  of  this  Church  shall 
have  the  right  to  withdraw  and  remove  from  the  Athe- 
neum at  any  time  and  without  cost  or  expense  all  the 
Books  which  they  hereby  consent  to  deposit  there 
whenever  a  majority  of  said  proprietors,  at  a  regular 
meeting,  shall  so  determine. 

Ebe>\  Oliver.  )  JTr     , 
Jos.  May. 

2.  The  agreement  between  the  wardens  of  King's 
Chapel  and  the  Trustees  of  the  Athenaeum  relating  to 
the  said  deposite. 

Boston,  July  31,  1823. 
It  is  hereby  agreed   by  the  standing  Committee  of 
the  Trustees  of  the  Atheneum  to  receive  the  deposite 
of  the  Library  known  by  the  name  of  the  King's  Chapel 
Library  on  the  terms  following  —  to  wit. 

First.  That  the  Ministers  of  said  Chapel  shall  be 
admitted  to  the  Rooms  of  the  Atheneum  as  Life  sub- 
scribers while  said  library  remains  in  the  Atheneum. 

Second.  That  the  books  of  said  Library  shall  be 
properly  arranged  in  the  Atheneum  in  the  room  appro- 
priated to  Theology,  and  an  accurate  Catalogue  of 
the  same  shall  be  made  out  and  preserved,  it  being 
always  understood  that  the  said  library  shall  remain 
under  the  care  of  the  officers  of  the  Atheneum,  shall 
be  subject  to  all  the  rules  of  that  Institution,  and  furth- 
er that  the  Atheneum  shall  not  be  accountable  for  any 


164  APPENDIX. 

loss  or  injury  that  may  happen  to  said  books  other  than 
shall  arise  from  manifest  negligence,  the  same  care 
being  taken  of  these  books  as  is  taken  of  the  Books  of 
the  Atheneum.  For  the  Committee, 

Theodore  Lyman,  Jr.* 


Ill, 


address  of  the  church  to  the  bishop  of  london,  in 
favor  of  governor  dudley. 

Boston,  New  Engld,  Feb.  4,  1705-6. 

May  it  please  your  Lordship, 

The  constant  experience  we  have  of  your 
Lordships  fatherly  care  over  us  encourageth  us  freely 
to  address  your  Lordship,  being  sensible  of  your  great 
regard  and  esteem  for  his  excellency  our  Governor. 

Therefore  we  are  humbly  bound  to  informe  your 
Lordship  that  he  has  been  very  successfull  in  his  gov- 
ernment for  the  security  of  the  country  from  the 
Indians  to  the  observation  of  all  Her  majesties  good 
subjects,  the  ennemie  haveing  been  often  defeated  and 
the  frontiers  preserved  more  than  in  any  former  trou- 
ble. 

That  notwithstanding  the  taxes  have  been  and  are 
very  burthensome  to  support  and  carry  on  the  war 

*  This  same  agreement  was  subscribed  by  Ebenezer 
Oliver  and  Joseph  May  on  the  part  and  in  behalf  of  the 
Proprietors  of  King's  Chapel. 


APPENDIX.  165 

wee  are  engaged  in  against  the  French  and  Tndians, 
who  in  conjunction  have  done  us  much  mischiefe,  yet, 
through  the  noted  prudence  and  good  conduct  of  his 
Excellencie  the  ennemie  have  not  only  been  repulsed 
but  are  now  constrained  to  abandon  their  own  coun- 
tries and  places  of  retreate  unto  some  hundreds  of  miles 
distance  from  these  parts  ;  the  administration  of  the 
Govern™1  and  expense  of  the  Revenue  is  and  has  been 
such  as  give  a  general  satisfaction  and  make  us  easie 
and  thankfull  unto  God,  for  her  Majesties  wisdome 
and  good  grace  to  us  in  appointing  such  an  one 
over  us,  who  by  his  long  experience  in  government 
and  knowledge  of  the  country  in  particular  renders 
him  (as  we  humbly  conceive)  the  most  proper  person 
to  promote  and  maintaine  the  honour  and  interest  of 
the  Crowne,  here  every  thing  proceeding  well  except 
the  govrsown  salary  which  is  by  no  means  sufficient 
notwithstanding  her  Majesties  repeated  comands  in 
the  matter ; 

That  his  constant  attendance  and  care  for  the  peace 
of  the  church  and  support  and  honor  thereof  is  appa- 
rent to  all  men  as  well  as  his  example  of  justice  and 
vertue,  upon  all  which  account  wee  are  humbly  bold 
to  informe  your  Lordship  this  his  continuance  in  the 
government  will  be  most  acceptable  to  all  her  majes- 
ties good  subjects,  merchants  ?and  planters  that  have 
their  dependance  on  the  government  of  England  as 
well  as  the  Church  here,  and  therefore  humbly  pray 
your  Lordships  favourable  acceptance  and  representa- 
tion of  this  our  address  as  need  be  for  Coll0  Dudley's 
continuance  in  the  Governmt  which  wee  are  well  as- 
sured will  be  to  her  Majesties  honour,  the  peace  and 


166  APPENDIX. 

satisfaction  of  this  province,  and  most  particularly  of 
ourselves  and  the  congregation  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land under  your  Lordships  care  and  patronage  here. 
We  are,  My  Lord,  with  all  submission, 

Your  Lordship's  most  Humble,  most  dutifull, 
and  most  Obedient  Servants, 
Gyles  Dyer.  Samuel,  Myles. 

Samuel,  Checklev.         Christopher  Bridge. 
Anthony  Blunt.  Nicholas  Roberts.  ) 


John  Devin.  John  Nelson.  5 

Thomas  Child.  Church  Wardens. 

John  Eastwick.  John  Endicott. 

Cyprian  Southack.  Edward  Lyde. 

John  Redknap.  Easte  Apthorpe. 

Peter  Hawksworth.  Samuel  Baker. 

John  Oulton.  Savii.l  Simpson. 

Ra.  Harrison.  Henry  Franklyn. 
Benjamin  Mountfort. 

Wee  have  avoyded  troubling  your  Lordship  with  a 
number  of  Names,    these    being  the   Cheife   of  the 
Church. 
To  the  Right  Revd  Father  in  God  Henry..  Lord    Bishop   of 

London,  and  one  of   Her  Majesties   most  Honble   Privy 

Councille. 


APPENDIX.  167 


IV. 


SOME    PAPERS    CONCERNING    AMERICAN    BISHOPS. 

[Sec  Page  81.] 

1.   LETTER  TO  THE  SOCIETY   FOR  THE    PROPAGATION-    OF 

THE    GOSPEL. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Vestry  of  her  Majesties  Chap- 
pell  in  Boston  New  Engd-  Dec.  8th-  1713.  — 
To  the  IIon'>le  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in 
Foreign  Parts. 
The  representation  and  request  of  the  Ministers 
and  Church  Wardens,  and  Vestry  of  the  Church  of 
England,  in  Boston. 

We  are  informed  by  the  Honble  Gen1  Nicholson 
a  most  worthy  member  of  yr  Honble  society,  and  a 
most  generous  benefactor  to  the  Church  in  these  parts, 
that  y  honbl6  Society  have  laid  before  her  Majesty  a 
particular  scheme  for  Setling  Bishops  in  these  Ameri- 
can parts,  and  as  nothing  can  contribute  more  to  the 
nourishing  state  of  Religion  among  us,  we  have  made 
our  humble  Address  to  her  most  Sacred  Majesty  upon 
that  head,  and  would  humbly  entreat  some  of  the  mem- 
bers of  yr  Honble  Society  to  be  our  remembrances  to 
her  Majesty  on  that  behalf,  and  that  Almighty  God 
would  bless  and  prosper  all  yr  pious  endeavors  for  the 
good  of  his  Church,  and  bless  you  for  those  endeav- 
ors, is  the  hearty  prayer  of  yr  most  obedient  and  most 
devoted  humble  servts- 

J.  Dudley,  Gov. 

Wm.  Tailer,  Esqr.  Lt.   Gov. 

Samuel  My les   )  Ministers, 

Henry  Harris  ) 


168  APPENDIX. 

Charles  Hobby.    >  ^  Warden^ 

JOHN    JEKYLL.  ) 

J.  Redkjtap.  Wentworth  Paxton. 

Tho  :  Bannister.  Cyprian  Southack. 

J.  Bridges.  Jno.  Nelson. 

Jno.  Valentine.  Jo  :  Hearnes. 

Tho.  Newton.  Go.  Dyer. 

John  Oulton.  Geo.    Turfrey. 

2.    ADDRESS    TO    THE    QUEEN. 

To  the  Queen's  most  Excellent  Majesty.  —  The  humble 
Address  of  the  Ministers,  Church  Wardens,  and  Vestry 
of  the  Church  of  England  in  Boston,  New  England. 

May  it  please  yr  Majesty. 

Your  Royall  goodness  being  extended  to  all, 
even  the  Remotest  parts  of  yr  Majesties  Dominions, 
we  take  this  opportunity  of  expressing  our  humble 
tho;  Imperfect  Thanks  to  yr  Majesty  for  the  many 
Blessings  we  have  enjoyed  in  the  Course  of  yr  Glori- 
ous Reign:  Such  was  yr  Majestys  care  of  us  during 
the  War,  that  our  ease  was  in  a  measure  Secured  by 
the  happy  Reduction  of  the  Important  fortress  of  Port 
Royall  under  the  Auspicious  Conduct  of  General 
Nicholson,  and  now  that  Honble  and  Advantagious 
Peace  which  y  Majesty  has  concluded  dose  mightily 
Increase  our  Happiness,  by  delivering  us  from  the  vio- 
lence of  Barbarous  Savages  who  continually  infested 
our  country,  and  acted  unheard  of  Cruelties  :  To  com- 
pleat  our  Felicity,  we  humbly  Entreat  of  yr  Majesty 
to  provide  for  our  Spiritual  concerns,  and  to  Establish 
Bishops  and  Bishopricks  within  yr  Majestys  Planta- 
tions in  America. 

Wee  are  informed  by  Gen1  Nicholson,  whose  Piety, 
Generosity  and  Zeal  for  the  Church,  we  cannot  suffi- 


APPENDIX.  169 

ciently  commend,  that  the  Honbl°  Society  for  Propa- 
gating the  gospel  in  Foreign  Parts ;  have  laid  before 
yr  Majesty  the  particular  Manner  of  the  Bishops  Res- 
pective Settlements.  Since  nothing  can  tend  more  to 
make  Religion  Flourish  amongst  us,  we  promise  our- 
selves that  yr  Majesty  will  take  this  Affair  into 
yr  Royal  Consideration.  And  that  it  may  please  Al- 
mighty God  to  grant  yr.  Majesty  a  long  and  happy 
Reign  over  us,  and  Advance  you  to  Immortal  Glory 
hereafter  is  the  constant  and  fervent  Prayer  of  — 
Y>"  Majestys  most  Loyall,  most  Dutifull  and  most  obe- 
dient Subjects. 

3.    LETTER    TO     BISHOP    ROBINSON". 

May  it  please  yr  Lordship. 

The  Episcopal  Congregation  at  Boston  in 
New  England  haveing  been  favoured  with  many  re- 
peated Instances  of  their  late  Diocesans  love  and 
kindness  towards  them,  Humbly  presume  to  lay  before 
yr  Lordship  the  State  and  Circumstances  of  our  Church, 
not  doubting  of  an  Equal  Regard  from  yr  Lordships 
known  Goodness,  and  Consummate  Prudences,  the  In- 
fluences whereof  we  hope  to  Enjoy  in  these  Remote 
Parts. 

About  Twenty  years  since,  a  handsome  Chappell 
was  built  in  this  place,  by  the  Subscriptions  of  Sir 
Edmund  Andros,  and  other  well  disposed  Gentlemen, 
particularly  by  the  Benefactions  of  the  HonbIe  Francis 
Nicholson  Esqr  (whose  Eminent  services  to  his  Queen 
and  countrey,  and  Affectionate  Concern  for  the  Church 
of  England,  will  render  his  name  ever  precious  amongst 
us,  and  famous  to  Posterity)  and  has  since  been 
adorn'd  by  the  Bounty  of  the  late  Queen  Mary  of  Glori- 


170  APPENDIX. 

ous  Memory  ;  Our  Ministers  are  supported  in  the  same 
manner  :  One  by  the  Voluntary  Contributions  of  the 
People  ;  the  other,  by  a  Sallary  of  One  hundred  pounds 
per  Annum  paid  out  of  the  Privey  Purse  ;  and  entered  in 
her  Majesty s  Books  :  Our  Congregation  is  very  much 
increased,  and  consists  of  about  Eight  Hundred  persons  ; 
and  the  Chappell  has  lately  been  enlarged  into  twice 
its  former  dimentions  :  This  Additional  Building  has 
put  us  to  a  very  considerable  Expense,  and  therefore 
we  humbly  entreat  yr  Lordships  good  offices  in  our 
behalf,  That  the  money  from  the  privey  purse  may  be 
Constantly  and  Regularly  paid.  Thus  we  shall  be 
enabled  to  Finish  the  Work  we  have  begun,  and  may 
reasonably  expect  to  be  in  a  flourishing  Condition  : 
We  will  not  trespass  any  longer  onyr  Lordships  Time 
but  beg  leave  to  Subscribe  Ourselves  &c  — 

Boston,  Dec.  8th,  1713. 

Signed  by  the  Governor  and  Lieut.  Governor,  Min- 
isters, Wardens  and  Vestry. 
To  the  Rt.  Revd  Father  in  God  John  Ld.  Bishop  of  London. 


V. 


ADDRESS  OF  THE  CHURCHES  AT  BOSTON,  NEWBURY  AND 
MARBLEHEAD     TO     GEORGE     I.    ON     HIS     ACCESSION.    1714. 

To  the  King's  most  Excellent  Majesty.  — The  humble 
Address  of  the  Ministers,  Vestry  Gentlemen  and  others  of 
your  Majesty's  Chappell  in  Boston  in  New  England. 

May  it  please  your  Majesty, 

Wee  your  Majesty's  most  dutifull  and  loy- 
all  subjects  in  this  place  of  the  Church  of  England  as 


APPENDIX.  HI 

by  law  established,  humbly  approach  your  Majesty 
with  the  most  sincere  and  hearty  joy  for  your  peaceful! 
accession  to  the  Crown,  yours  by  superior  right  and 
merit ;  a  blessing  so  great  as  mitigates  our  sorrows 
for  the  demise  of  your  Royall  predecessor  of  happy 
Memory,  who  was  always  to  us  a  gratious  and  bounti- 
full  Sovereign. 

It's  our  misfortune  to  be  removed  to  so  great  a 
distance  from  your  Majesty's  Royall  Person,  whose 
comfortable  influencys  fall  with  directer  Rays  upon  your 
more  happy  subjects  in  Great  Britain.  It  behoves  us 
therefore  to  be  constant  in  our  solicitations,  as  we 
doubt  not  to  approve  ourselves  in  our  obedience,  loyal- 
ty and  zeal  for  your  service.  Though  distance  may 
make  us  late  with  our  addresses,  yet  none  of  your 
Majestv's  subjects  shall  appear  more  early  and  dili- 
gent with  their  Lives  and  Fortunes  in  defence  of  your 
sacred  person  and  government. 

Extend,  therefore,  most  gratious  Sovereigne,  your 
princely  care  toward  us,  that  whilst  the  hearts  of  those 
subjects,  who  more  immediately  share  the  blessings  of 
your  auspitious  reign,  overflow  with  joy,  we  may  par- 
ticipate in  your  Royall  Favours. 

That  your  Majesty  may  long  wear  the  Impenall 
Crown  of  your  great  Ancestors,  and  the  glorys  of 
your  reign  increase  with  the  number  of  your  days, 
and  every  day  accompanied  with  an  affluence  of  all 
that  can  make  a  Monarch  great  and  happy,  is  the 
hearty  prayer  of  your  Majesty's  most  dutyfull  and 
most  lovall  subjects. 

Signed  by  the  Members  of  the  Church  at  Boston, 
Newberry,  and  Marblehead. 


J72  APPENDIX 


VI. 


ADDRESS   TO  GEORGE  II.  ON  HIS    ACCESSION. 

To  the  King's  most  Excellent  Majesty  the  Humble  Address 
of  the  Ministers  and    Congregations   of    the    Episcopall 
Churches  in  Boston  in  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in  New 
England  — 
May  it  please  your  Majesty. 

We  your  Majesty's  Dutiful]  and  Loyall  Subjects 
humbly  beg  leave  to  condole  with  your  Majesty  on  the 
Death  of  your  Royall  Father  our  late  Gracious  Sove- 
raign,  a  loss  only  to  be  repaired  by  your  Majesty's  hap- 
py and  peaceable  Accession  to  the  throne  of  your  An- 
cestors, to  which  you  are  entitled  by  your  vertues  as 
well  as  by  your  Birth,  it  being  the  united  voice  of  all 
your  Majesty's  Loyall  subjects  that  the  Graces  and 
Perfections  which  adorn  your  Royall  Person  reflect  a 
greater  Lustre  upon  the  Crowne  you  wear  than  they 
receive  from  it,  and  the  Gems  in  your  Imperialle  Dia- 
dem are  not  so  resplendent  as  the  shining  accomplish- 
ments of  our  most  Excellent  Queen  rendered  still 
more  Glorious  by  the  beautifull  Prospect  of  your  Illus- 
trious Offspring.  We  are  indeed  far  removed  from 
the  centre  of  your  Majesty's  Government,  nevertheless 
we  doubt  not  but  your  propitious  influences  like  the 
Rays  of  the  Sun  will  be  extended  to  the  utmost  bounds 
of  your  large  Dominions.  Your  Majesty's  most  Gra- 
cious Declaration  has  already  filled  our  hearts  with  ex- 
traordinary Joy,  Wee  are  thereby  encouraged  to  hope 
for  your  Majesty's  Protection  and  especialle  favour  to 
the  Episcopall    Churches  in    New  England    being  in 


APPENDIX.  173 

their  infancy  and  strugling  with  many  Difficulties,  and 
tho'  we  are  net  so  Capable  of  serving  your  Majesty 
as  some  of  otir  fellow  Subjects  who  are  placed  under 
your  immediate  Presence,  yet  in  our  inferiour  Station 
We  shall  embrace  all  Opportunities  of  demonstrating 
our  hearty  Zeal  and  unfeigned  affection  for  your  Sa- 
cred Person  and  Government.  We  shall  always 
esteem  it  our  principall  and  most  Comprehensive  Duty 
to  fear  God  and  Honour  the  King  our  Rightfull  and 
lawfull  Soveraigne,  King  George  the  Second,  and 
pray  with  the  most  fervent  Devotion  that  God  would 
be  graciously  pleased  to  grant  your  majesty  a  long  and 
happy  Reign  over  us,  that  he  would  crowne  you  and 
your  Royall  Consort  with  everlasting  felicity  and  make 
you  glad  with  the  joy  of  his  countenance  and  grant  that 
there  never  may  be  wanting  Princes  of  your  August 
Family  and  of  your  faith  who  may  transmitt  the 
Blessiags  of  your  Majesty's  Reign  to  After  Ages. — 

Signed  by  two  hundred  and  nine  names. 

Written  by  Dr  Cutler,  rector  of  Christ's  Church, 
Aug.  1727. 


VII. 


bishop  gibson's  license  to  rev.  mr  price. 
[See  Page  90.] 

EDMUNDUS  permissione  Divina  LONDINEN- 
SIS  Episcopus,  Dilecto  nobis  in  Christo  Rogcro  Price 
Cler.  Salutem  et  Gratiam.  Ad  peragendum  Officium 
Ministrale  in  Provincia  de  Nova  Anglia  in  America,  in 


174  APPENDIX. 

Precibus  communibus  aliisque  Ministeriis  Ecclesiasticis 
ad  Officium  Ministri  perlinentibus  juxta  Formam  de- 
scriptam  in  Libro  publicarum  Precum  Authoritate  Par- 
liament! hujus  inclyti  Regni  magna?  Brittannia3  in  ea 
parte  edit,  et  provis.  et  Canones  et  Constitutiones  in 
ea  parte  legitime  stabilitas  et  publicatas,  et  non  aliter 
neque  alio  Modo  :  TIBI  cujus  Fidelitati,  Morum  Inte- 
gritati,  Literarum  Sciential,  Sanse  Doctrinse  et  Diligen- 
tise  plurimum  confidimus  (Subscriptis  prius  et  Juratis 
per  Te  coram  Nobis  omnibus  et  singulis  Articulis  et 
Juramentis  in  hac  parte  de  jure  subscribendis  etjuran- 
dis)  LICENTI AM  et  Facultatem  nostras  concedimus  et 
impartimus  per  Prsesentes  :  ad  nostrum  bene  placitum 
duntaxat  duraturas.  In  cujus  Rei  Testimonium  Sigilium 
nostrum  (quo  in  hac  parte  utimur)  Prassentibus  apponi 
fecimus.  Dat.  apud  VVestmonast.  quarto  Die  Mensis 
Martis,  Anno  Dui  millesimo  septingentesimo  vices- 
simo  nono.    Nostrseque  Translationis  Anno  Sexto. 

I  do  declare  that  I  will  conforme  to  the  Liturgy  of 
the  Church  of  England  as  it  is  now  by  Law  Establish- 
ed. ROG.  PRICE. 

, — ^  This  declaration  was   made  and 

\  subscribed  before  me  by  the  said 

Seal.  J  Roger  Price  to  be  lycensed  to  per- 

^ •  forme  the    Ministerial   Office    in 

Boston  in  New  England  in  Ameri- 
EDM.  LONDON,  ca  this  fourth  Day  of  March  in 
the  Year  of  our  Lord  17^8-9,  and 
in  the  sixth  year  of  our  Transla- 
tion. 


\PPENDIX.  ]75 

VIII. 

INVENTORY  OF    CHURCH    FURNITURE. 

An  Inventory  of  Vestments  and  Ornaments  belonging  to  the 
Church  Called  King's  Chappel  in  Boston  in  New  Eng- 
land, taken  by  George  Steuart  and  Mr  George  Stone, 
Church  Wardens,  and  Mr  George  Craddock  one  of  the 
Vestrymen  of  the   said  Church    on  the  19  April  1733  — 

Six  Surplices  of  fine  Bagg  Holland. 

The  Altarpiece,  whereon  is  the  Glory  painted,  the 
Ten  Commandments,  The  Lords  Prayer,  The  Creed, 
and  some  Texts  of  Scripture. 

A  Communion  Cloath  of  the  finest  Crimson  Genoa 
Damask. 

An  old  Communion  Cloath  of  silk  Damask. 

Five  China  Cushions,  Given  for  the  Communicants 
to  kneel  upon,  without  the  rails  of  the  Altar,  by  Cap- 
tain James  Sterling   when  he  was  Church  Warden. 

The  pulpit  Cloath,  Desk  Cloath,  and  three  Cushions 
of  fine  Genoa  Damask. 

Two  old  Cushions  of  Silk  Damask. 

An  old  pulpit  Cloath  of  ditto  and  a  cushion  lent  the 
Church  at  Braintree. 

Three  Table  Cloaths  of  fine  Damask  Linnen. 

Seventeen  Napkins  of  Ditto. 

Two  pieces  of  fine  Diaper  ten  yards  in  apiece. 

The  stand  for  the  Hour  Glass  of  Brass,  given  by 
Thomas  Gold  and  Mr  William  Weaver. 

One  Bible  and  fifteen  Common  Prayer  books  all  old. 

One  New  Bible  and  fourteen  Common  Prayer 
Books. 


176  APPENDIX, 

One  large  Common  Prayer  book  given  by  Thomas 
Lechmere  Esq. 

Twelve  Leather  Buckettes  given  by  the  Gentlemen 
of  the  British  Society. 

A  Clock  given  by  the  Same  Gentlemen. 

An  Organ  Given  by  Thomas  Brattle  Esq. 

The  King's  Coat  of  arms. 

The  Arms  of  Sir  Edmund  Andros,  Knight  and  Gov- 
ernour. 

Of  Francis  Nicholson  Esqr  Lieutenant  Governor. 

Of  Captain  Hamilton  of  his  Majesty's  Ship. 

Of  Joseph  Dudley  Esqr  Governor. 

Of  Samuel  Shute  Esqr  Governor. 

Of  William  Burnett  do     do. 

Johnathan  Belcher  do     do. 

The  Bell. 

An  inventory  of  the  Silver  Plate  taken  by  the  above  per- 
sons, 19  April  1733. 

Four  large  Flaggons. 

Three  Chalises  and  their  covers. 

One  Bason. 

One  Receiver. 

Two  Servers. 


IX. 


LETTERS    RELATING    TO  MR    DAVENPORT  S    SETTLEMENT    AT 
TRINITY    CHURCH. 

[See  page  100.] 

1.  Mr  Commissary  Price  delivered  a  letter  from  the 
Revd  Mr  Davenport,  and  it  being  to  vote  whether  the 


APPENDIX.  177 

letter  should  be  recorded  in  our  church  books  or  no, 
and  it  passed  in  the  affirmative,  the  letter  is  as  fol- 
lows — 

Revd  Sir As  I  have  determined  to  comply  with  the 

repeated  desires  of  the  Proprietors  of  Trinity  Church 
in  removing  there,  upon  receiving  an  Equivalent  for 
my  present  allowance,  and  our  worthy  Diocesan  not 
forbidding  it ;  I  therefore  think  it  just  and  proper  to  ac- 
quaint you  and  your  vestry  herewith,  that  so  what  is 
best  and  most  convenient  may  be  done  to  supply  the 
Lecturer's  place,  if  it  should  be  vacant. 

I,  am  sir  your  most  obedt  humble  Servant, 

Addington  Davenport. 
Boston,  May  9,  1739. 

2.  Voted,  That  the  letter  from  the  Revd  Mr  Adding- 
ton  Davenport  to  the  Revd  Mr  Roger  Price  be  record- 
ed—  Done  as  follows,     viz  — 

Revd  Sir  —  I  have  at  length  accepted  the  care  of 
Trinity  Church,  you  will  not  therefore  expect  any  furth- 
er assistance  from  me  at  the  Chappel,  and  will  be  so 
good  as  to  communicate  this  advice  to  the  gentlemen  of 
that  Church  as  soon  as  conveniently  may  be. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  your  most  obedt  humble  Servant, 
Addington  Davenport. 

Boston,  May  9,  1740. 

3      Copy  of  a  letter  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  from 
the  Ministers,  Wardens  and  Vestry  of  King's  Chapel. 
New  Engd.  Boston,  May  24,  1740. 
May  it  please  your  Lordship. 

The  Revd  Mr  Davenport  hath  at  length  re- 
signed  his   place  in  the  Kings   Chappel  for   Trinity 
VI 


178  APPENDIX. 

Church.  A  copy  of  his  letter  whereof  is  here  inclosed. 
Wherefore  we  humbly  pray  your  Lordship  to  supply  his 
place  in  the  Chappel  with  such  a  person  as  your  Lord- 
ship shall  judge  most  suitable,  by  his  learning  and  piety, 
to  honnour  the  Church  in  the  Capital  town  of  New  Engd, 
and  that  as  soon  as  conveniently  may  be,  because  in 
case  of  sickness  we  have  no  assistance  from  any  casu- 
al lecturer,  in  these  parts.  And  as  wee  are  informed 
that  the  Revd  Mr  Stephen  Rowe  for  want  of  his  health 
cannot  continue  in  Carolina,  wee  begg  leave  to  insinu- 
ate, that  wee  once  heard  him  reading  Divine  Service, 
and  preaching  among  us,  well  approved  his  talent 
therein,  and  shall  be  generally  gratified  in  his  removal 
to  this  place,  for  what  wee  then  saw  and  have  other- 
wise heard  of  him.  Yet  finally  wee  rest  ourselves  in 
your  Lordships  wisdom  and  goodness,  properly  and 
seasonably  to  supply  us,  and  wait, 

Your  Lordships  most  Dutiful  and  Obedt  Servants. 


X. 

ADDRESS    TO    BISHOP    SHERLOCK. 

At  a  Vestry  meeting,  March  2d,  1748.  Tt  was  pro- 
posed that  a  letter  of  Address  should  be  sent  to  our 
Diocesian,  D  oct.  Thos  Sherlock,  Lord  Bishop  of  Lon- 
don, upon  his  translation  to  the  See  of  London,  and 
upon  a  draught  of  a  letter  being  presented,  it  was 
read  and  agreed  to  be  Signed  by  the  Minister,  Church 
Wardens  and  Vestry  —  as  follows. 


APPENDIX.  179 

Boston,  Feb  29,  17  IS. 

May  it  please  your  Lordship 

To  receive  the  Address  and  congratulation 
of  the  Minister,  Wardens  and  Vestry  of  Kings  Chapelj 
in  Boston,  upon  your  Lordships  translation  to  the  See 
of  London. 

Wee  sincerely  bless  that  good  Providence  of  God 
who  disposed  his  Majesty  to  appoint  and  your  Lordship 
to  accept  a  situation  of  so  great  importance  to  the 
Church ;  the  Importance  of  which  may  reasonably 
employ  your  Lordships  great  ability. 

Remote  as  wee  are  from  the  Episcopal  Throne  wee 
have  yet  the  honour  of  being  esteemed  a  part  of  your 
Lordships  Diocese,  in  consequence  of  which  we  doubt 
not  of  shareing  your  paternal  care  and  Benediction. 

King's  Chapel  is  the  first  Church  erected  in  New 
Engd  ;  it  has  laboured  under  a  series  of  opposition, 
tho'  now  pretty  well  and  firmly  established  ;  all  the 
Churches  in  New  Engd  have  taken  their  Rise  from  its 
Countenance  and  support,  and  particularly  two  other 
large  Churches  in  this  town  of  Boston. 

Its  priority  in  point  of  time  and  the  difficulties 
which  have  attended  it  from  that  circumstance,  have 
entitled  it  to  singular  honours  and  priviledges.  An  as- 
sistant was  procured  for  it  by  Bishop  Compton,  now 
paid  out  of  the  civil  List,  and  a  small  Library,  by  the 
same  Interest. 

The  Rector  of  it  had  the  honour  to  be  appointed 
Commissary  by  our  Late  Worthy  Diocesian  and  en- 
joyed other  marks  of  his  Favour.  And  as  wee  hope 
by  our  Dutifull  Behaviour  to  merrit  your  Lordships 
Notice  in  like  manner,  so  wee  begg  leave  in  all  humil- 
ity to  expect  it,  and  in  particular  your  Lordships  Episco- 


180  APPENDIX. 

pal  Benediction  most  highly  valued  by  your  Lordships 
most  dutifull  and  most  obedt  Servants. 

To  the  Right  Revd  Father  in  God  Thos  Lord   Bishop  of 
London. 


XL 


LETTER    TO    BISHOP    PROVOST,   AND    HIS    ANSWER. 
[See  Page  140.] 

At  a  meeting  of  the  proprietors  of  King's  Chapel 
held  at  the  vestry  room,  Sunday,  29  July  1787. 

The  following  letter  to  the  Rev.  Bishop  Provost 
being  reported  by  the  Rev.  Mr  Freeman,  was  read  and 
approved,  whereupon,  Voted  that  the  said  letter  be 
signed  by  the  Wardens,  and  sent  to  the  Rev.  Bishop 
Provost,  with  a  copy  of  the  Liturgy. 

Boston,  29  July,  1787. 
To  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Provost. 

Right  Rev.  Sir,  —  We  the  Wardens  and  Vestry  of 
the  Chapel  church  in  Boston  take  the  liberty,  in  the 
name  and  by  the  special  direction  and  unanimous  vote 
of  the  church,  to  address  you  on  a  subject  very  inter- 
esting to  us.  Above  four  years  ago  we  made  choice 
of  the  Rev.  Mr  Freeman  for  our  Minister,  and  we  are 
so  well  satisfied  with  his  services  that  we  hope  to  con- 
tinue him  with  us  so  long  as  shall  be  agreeable  to  him. 
This  gentleman  has  made  several  attempts  to  procure 
ordination,  but  he  has  not  yet  been  so  happy  as  to  ob- 
tain it,  for  a  declaration  is  required  of  him,  which  we 
know  he  cannot  in  conscience  subscribe,  and  which  we 
do  not  wish  him  to  make.    By  our  desire  he  has  written 


APPENDIX.  181 

to  you   on   the    subject,  requesting  that  a  relaxation 
may  be  made  in  the  articles  of  subscription.    You  have 
been  pleased  to  refer  him  to  the  general  Convention. 
It  appears  from  your  last  letter  to  him   that  that  body 
will  not  probably  sit  very  soon.     From  our  attachment 
to  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  from  our  desire  to  pro- 
mote its  interest,  we  should  be  disposed  to  wait  the 
determination  of  the  Convention,  could  we  be  assured 
that  it  would  probably  meet  our  ideas.     We  therefore 
request  that  you  would  have  the  goodness  to  give  us 
your  opinion  upon  the  subject.     We  have  long  been 
deprived  of  the  benefit  of  the  ordinances  of  religion,  and 
we  feel  the  inconvenience,  but  we  would  consent  to 
forego  the   advantages  of  them   untill  the  meeting  of 
the  Convention,  if  you  could  encourage  us  with  any 
hope  that  the  American  church  will  acknowledge  us  as 
brethren,  and  agree  to   the   ordination  of  our  Minis- 
ter, upon  terms  to  which  Ave  can  submit.     We  flatter 
ourselves  that  to  a  gentleman  of  your  well  known  lib- 
erality we  shall  not  appear  presumptuous  when  we  say 
that  those  terms  which  are  agreeable   to  us  are  rea- 
sonable, for  it  is  our  fullest  determination  sacredly  to 
adhere  to  what  we  conceive   to   be  the  doctrines  of 
Scripture,  at  the  same  time  that  we  endeavour  to  pro- 
mote the  honour  and  welfare  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 
From  information  which  we  have  received,  we  have  rea- 
son to  fear  that  our  church  has  been  misrepresented  by 
our  enemies  to  the   Episcopal  Clergy  of  the  Southern 
states.     It  has  been   suggested,  we  are  told,  that  we 
are  already  dissatisfied  with  the  new  liturgy  which  we 
have  adopted,  that  we  do  not  wish  that  our  Minister 
should  obtain  ordination,  but  are  anxious  to  return  to 
the  book  of  common  prayer  of  the  church  of  England. 


182  APPENDIX. 

We  assure  you  with  the  utmost  sincerity  that  there  is 
no  ground  for  these  insinuations.  We  are  extremely 
desirous  to  procure  ordination  for  Mr  Freeman ;  but 
while  we  make  use  of  all  proper  and  decent  methods 
to  obtain  it,  we  are  religiously  resolved  to  persevere 
in  adhering  to  the  spirit  of  a  form  of  prayer  which  we 
are  convinced  is  rational  and  scriptural. 

By  the  terms  of  the  ordination  which  Mr  Montague, 
Minister  of  Christ's  church  in  this  town,  has  received 
of  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  White,  we  find  he  has  only 
subscribed  a  declaration  of  faith  in  the  holy  scriptures, 
and  a  solemn  engagement  to  conform  to  the  doctrines 
and  worship  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  church  in  the 
state  of  Massachusetts  ;  in  this  state  no  doctrines  or 
form  of  worship  are  yet  established.  Has  not  our 
Church  therefore  as  good  a  claim  to  style  itself  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  Massachusetts  as  any 
other  ?  We  beg  leave  humbly  to  enquire,  whether  it 
is  not  in  your  power  to  ordain  Mr  Freeman  on  the 
same  conditions  as  Mr  Montague  ?  We  are  willing 
that  he  should  make  the  same  subscription,  provided 
that  he  might  be  allowed  to  declare  that  he  conceives 
his  own  church  to  be  one  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
churches  of  the  state  of  Massachusetts,  and  might  be 
allowed  to  use  the  Liturgy  of  this  church,  a  copy  of 
which  we  do  ourselves  the  honour  to  present  you. 
With  anxiety  we  shall  wait  for  an  answer  to  this  let- 
ter, and  for  your  opinion  upon  the  matters  contained 
in  it. 
We  have  the  honour  to  be  with  the  most  profound 

respect,  Right  Rev.  Sir,  your  most  obedient  and 

most  devoted  Servants, 

Thomas  Bulfinch. 
Shrimpton  Hutchinsoi*. 


APPENDIX.  183 

BISHOP'S    PROVOST'S     \N-wru. 

New  York,  13  Aug.  1787. 

Gentlemen,  since  I  was  honoured  with  the  receipt 
of  your  letter,  I  have  collected  the  sentiments  of  the 
Council  of  advice,  appointed  by  a  late  convention  of 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  church  in  this  state,  consist- 
ing of  the  Rev.  xMessrs  Beach,  Moore  and  Bloomer, 
the  Hon.  John  Jay,  Hon.  James  Duane  and  James 
Alsop,  Esqrs,  and  find  them  to  be  unanimously  of 
opinion  that  it  would  be  improper  for  me  to  enter  into 
a  discussion  of  the  business  of  your  letter,  as  they 
think  a  subject  of  so  much  importance  to  the  church 
at  large  ought  to  be  reserved  entirely  for  the  consid- 
eration of  the  general  Convention.  It  is  in  compli- 
ance with  their  advice  that  I  now  refer  you  to  the  first 
meeting  of  that  Assembly. 

Be  pleased,  gentlemen,  to  accept  my  thanks  for  the 
copy  of  your  Liturgy,  and  believe  me  to  be  with  great 
respect  your  most  obedt  and  very  humble  servant, 
Samuel  Provost, 

Bp.  of  the  Prot.   Ep.  Ch.   New   Yo?k. 


XII. 

protest     against     mr      freeman's     ordination,    and 
the  answer  of  the  wardens  thereto. 
[See  Page  142.] 

Protest,  delivered  to  the  Church  wardens  by  Messrs 
Deblois,  Ivers,  and  Williams,  with  a  request  that  the 
same  may  be  recorded  in  the  Church  books. 

Boston,  Nov.  16,1787. 

Whereas  certain  persons  calling  themselves  proprie- 


184  APPENDIX. 

tors  of  the  Stone  Chapel  in  Boston  have  of  late  de- 
clared that  the  pews  of  a  number  of  the  original 
proprietors  are  forfeit,  on  account  of  their  absence, 
and  have  sold  said  pews  to  persons  who  never  were  of 
the  Episcopal  church,  and  who  hold  sentiments  diame- 
trically opposite  to  said  church;  and  said  new  pro- 
prietors have  introduced  a  Liturgy,  different  from  any 
now  used  in  the  Episcopal  churches  in  the  United 
States,  and  articles  of  faith  which  in  our  opinion  are 
unscriptural  and  heretical ;  and  have  thereby  deprived 
many  of  the  proprietors  of  said  house  of  their  proper- 
ty and  the  privilege  of  worshipping  God  therein 
according  to  the  dictates  of  their  consciences  ;  and 
whereas  we  are  informed  by  a  Committee  from  said 
proprietors,  that  they  intend  next  Lord's  day,  to  take 
upon  themselves  to  authorize  Mr  James  Freeman  to 
administer  the  sacraments  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper  in  said  Church,  and  to  receive  him  as  a  regu- 
lar ordained  Minister,  which  step  in  our  opinion  is 
unprecedented,  irregular  and  contrary  to  apostolic  and 
primitive  usage,  and  to  the  common  sentiments  of 
almost  every  sect  and  denomination  of  Christians,  a 
step  which  may  be  attended  with  fatal  consequences 
to  the  interests  of  religion  in  general  and  that  of  the 
Episcopal  church  in  particular.  We  therefore  the 
subscribers  in  behalf  of  ourselves  and  other  original 
proprietors  of  this  church,  who  have  authorized  us  to 
act  for  them,  do  hereby  enter  our  most  solemn  and  se- 
rious protest  and  dissent  against  all  such  proceedings, 
and  particularly  against  the  settlement  and  pretended 
ordination  of  the  said  James  Freeman,  declaring  our 
utter  abhorrence  of  measures  so  contrary  to  the  doc- 
trine, discipline  and  worship  of  an  Episcopal  church 


APPENDIX.  185 

and  which  will  include  in  them  a  total  alienation  of 
the  property  of  said  house  from  the  use  intended  by 
the  original  donors  or  founders. 

James  I  vers,  for  himself  and  Jas.  Trecothiclc,  Esqr. 
Gilbert  Deblois,  for  himself,  Lewis  Deblois,  and 
Henry  Leddell.  James  Lloyd,  for  Wm.  Vassall,  Esqr. 
Henry  Smith  for  Henry  Lloyd.  James  Apthorp. 
Charles  Williams.  Theodore  Dehon.  John 
Box.  John  Haskins.  Lydia  Box.  Matthew 
Nazro.  Ambrose  Vincent.  Grizzell  Apthorp. 
Dorothy  Forbes. 

answer  to  the  protest,  by  the  wardens. 

The  Wardens  of  the  Chapel  being  two  of  the  un- 
doubted proprietors  of  it,  think  themselves  called  upon 
to  vindicate  the  conduct  of  that  church  respecting  the 
ordination  of  the  Rev.  Mr  Freeman  on  the  last  Lord's 
day.  They  would  have  been  happy  if  some  of  the 
former  proprietors  had  not  thus  obliged  them  to  ap- 
pear in  public  ;  but  the  foregoing  protest  being  of  such 
a  nature  as  to  mislead  the  public  at  large,  obliges  them 
to  display  the  impropriety  of  it.  At  the  same  time 
from  the  respect  due  to  some  persons  whose  names 
appear  in  the  protest,  they  are  very  unwilling  to  hurt 
their  feelings,  which  must  necessarily  be  done  in  the 
following  remarks. 

Before  they  enter  on  the  merits  of  the  cause,  it  will 
not  be  amiss  to  go  over  the  names  and  circumstances 
of  the  Protestors,  and  leave  the  world  to  judge  of  the 
expediency  or  propriety  of  their  acting  in  this  matter 
at  all.  —  Previous  to  their  dissent  a  Committee  from 
their  body  called  on  the  senior  warden  desiring  in- 
formation respecting  the  ordination.  This  desire 
being  made  known  to  the  vestry,  they  empowered  a 


APPENDIX. 


committee  to  wait  upon  them  and  to  furnish  them  with 
a  copy  of  the  votes  relative  to  the  business  ;  among1 
which  votes  there  was  one  expressly  forbidding  any 
votes  by  proxy.  Notwithstanding  this,  five  proxies 
have  appeared  in  behalf  of  those  whose  local  situa- 
tion and  circumstances  do  not  at  present  admit  of  their 
voting.  The  dissentient  committee  were  at  the  same 
time  informed  that  if  any  objections  lay  against  our 
procedure  a  meeting  should  be  called,  and  they  heard 
upon  the  subject  before  the  time  fixed  for  the  ordina- 
tion. No  such  meeting  was  desired,  and  the  ordina- 
tion accordingly  took  place.  On  Saturday  evening 
previous  to  the  ordination,  another  Committee  called 
on  the  Wardens  and  presented  the  protest,  which  was 
on  the  next  day  after  service  laid  before  the  church, 
and  congregation,,  and  dismissed  by  an  unanimous  vote 
for  reasons  which  will  be  given.  Now  let  us  see  who 
the  Protestors  are,  and  what  right  they  had  to  make 
this  protest,  and  how  far  their  right  extended. 

The  protestors-  consist  of  17  in  number,  five  of  whom 
we  conceive  had  no  right  to  protest  at  all,  for  although 
the  agents  who  appear  for  them  may  be  their  lawful 
attorneys  in  secular  matters,  yet  we  do  not  believe  it 
probable  that  they  can  be  competent  judges  of  their 
opinions  on  matters  of  faith  ;  and  there  is  quite  as 
much  reason  to  think  that  some  of  them  at  least  would 
unite  with  us  in  opinion,  as  that  others  would  unite 
with  the  Dissentients.  For  instance  how  does  Mr 
lvers  or  Dr  Lloyd  know  that  Mr  Trecothick  and  Mr 
Vassal  would  not  join  in  the  ordination?  As  how- 
ever it  is  very  improbable  that  Mr  Trecothick,  who  is 
settled  in  business  in  London,  and  has  a  family  and 
connexions  there,  will  ever  come  to  this  country,  ex- 


APPENDIX.  Ig7 

cept  on  a  visit,  this  vote  can  hardly  be  reckoned.  The 
same  may  be  said  of  Mr  Henry  Lloyd,  whose  depar- 
ture we  most  sincerely  lament ;  Mr  L.  Deblois  and  Mr 
Leddell.  Where  then  could  be  the  necessity  of  ap- 
plying- to  these  gentlemen  for  their  opinion  ?  Or 
must  a  church  in  this  country  be  deprived  of  the  bene- 
fit of  the  holy  ordinances  lest  the  mode  of  administer- 
ing them  should  not  be  agreeable  to  some  of  its  breth- 
ren at  a  distance  ?  However,  to  gratify  our  dissentient 
brethren,  we  will  admit  the  votes  of  these  five.  The 
next  person  we  shall  mention  is  Mr  James  Apthorp  of 
Braintree,  a  gentleman  who  left  this  town  several 
years  ago,  and  joined  himself  to  the  church  at  Brain- 
tree,  and  who  although  he  was  upon  the  spot  when  Mr 
Freeman  was  chosen  Minister  of  the  Chapel,  and  had 
heard  of  the  amendments  making  in  the  Liturgy,  yet 
never  appeared  to  disapprove  of  them  ;  and  yet  he 
and  all  the  other  proprietors  were  desired  in  public 
prints  to  appear,  and  show  cause  if  any,  why  the 
church  should  not  proceed  to  the  business  which  they 
have  since  transacted.  With  how  much  propriety 
therefore  he  appears  in  the  above  protest,  the  candid 
will  judge.  —  The  next  three  persons  we  mention  are 
Mrs  Forbes,  Mr  Dehon  and  Mr  Nazro,  neither  of  whom 
have  worshipped  at  the  Chapel  since  1775,  altho'  they 
are  worthy  proprietors;  but  have  continued  to  worship 
at  Trinity  Church  previous  to  any  alteration  in  our 
service.  —  We  have  now  mentioned  eight  persons  out 
of  the  seventeen  of  whose  right  to  interfere  we  leave 
to  the  decision  of  the  public.  Of  the  remainder  we 
might  except  against  Mrs  Box  as  an  elderly  lady  who 
has  been  unable  to  attend  public  worship  for  several 
years  past ;  and  to  Mr  Haskins  and  Mr  Williams  as 


188  APPENDIX. 

having  voted  for  many  of  the  alterations.  As  we  do 
not  recollect  whether  Mr  Ives  and  Mr  Box  voted  for 
the  alterations,  we  shall  not  include  them  in  that  num- 
ber. —  With  respect  to  Madam  Apthorp  and  Mr  Vin- 
cent, they  have  frequently  worshipped  with  us  since 
the  alterations  were  made,  and  therefore  cannot  be 
presumed  to  object  on  that  account,  but  only  on  ac- 
count of  the  mode  of  ordination. 

The  last  person  to  be  mentioned  is  Mr  Gilbert  Deb- 
lois,  a  gentleman,  who,  having  so  lately  returned  among 
us,  we  fear  has  not  had  time  to  pay  sufficient  attention 
to  the  alterations,  but  who,  we  hope  when  he  has  done 
it  will  make  us  happy  in  returning  with  his  family  to 
our  Christian  communion.  Now  let  us  see  how  many 
of  the  old  proprietors,  those  we  mean  who  were  such 
before  the  war,  are  still  remaining  with  us.  Of  these, 
as  it  appears  by  the  Church  books,  there  are  twenty- 
Jour  ;  who  without  mentioning  any  other  persons,  be- 
ing a  large  majority,  are  fully  justified  in  taking  upon 
them  the  conduct  and  management  of  the  church. 
But  beside  these  there  are  twenty  other  persons  who 
having  joined  themselves  to  the  church  by  purchasing 
pews  and  becoming  proprietors,  have  an  undoubted 
right  to  give  their  assent  and  vote  in  Church  transac- 
tions. We  might  go  on,  and  reckon  a  great  number 
of  other  respectable  persons,  who  by  occupying  pews 
and  statedly  paying  their  dues,  have  likewise  a  right 
of  voting.  And  of  these  Old  and  New  proprietors 
and  Occupiers  not  one  dissenting  voice  was  heard 
respecting  the  ordination. 

We  will  now  enter  upon  the  merits  of  the  protest 
itself.  The  protest  begins  thus,  "  Whereas  certain 
persons  calling  themselves  a  majority  of  the  proprie- 


APPENDIX.  189 

tors  of  the  Stone  Chapel,"  did  &c.  —  We  acknowledge 
this  to  be  true  ;  and  whereas  this  majority  consisted 
of  at  least  Jive  if  not  six  to  one  of  the  proprietors,  no 
man  in  his  senses  will  assert  that  they  had  not  a  just 
right  so  to  do.  But  what  have  they  done  ?  "  They 
have  declared  that  the  pews  of  a  number  of  the  orio-i- 
nal  proprietors  are  forfeit  on  account  of  their  absence." 
But  the  Protestors  do  not  say  that  these  forfeitures 
are  just,  by  the  very  tenor  of  the  deeds  ;  nor  do  they 
say  that  there  is  a  standing  vote  of  this  Church,  that 
if  any  of  said  proprietors  either  by  themselves,  or  their 
special  attorney  apply  within  a  certain  time,  they 
shall  be  reimbursed  the  expenses  of  their  pews,  after 
deducting  the  arrears  due  upon  them  ;  —  nor  have  they 
given  the  reason  for  this  step,  which  was  to  defray  the 
necessary  expenses  of  repairs  of  damages  incurred 
during  the  war,  and  the  time  in  which  the  Church  lay 
unimproved,  and  to  finish  the  building.  They  further 
say  that  those  pews  "have  been  sold  to  persons  who 
never  were  of  the  Episcopal  Church."  This  is  a  very 
extraordinary  remark.  We  would  wish  to  know  if  in 
the  Episcopal  Church  or  elsewhere,  any  person,  whose 
life  and  conversation  was  blameless,  was  ever  prevent- 
ed from  joining  any  particular  society,  or  becoming 
the  proprietor  of  a  pew,  provided  there  was  room  for 
him  and  he  able  to  make  good  his  purchase.  We  have 
always  believed  that  the  Episcopal  church  displayed 
a  liberality  in  this  respect  which  Avas  truly  commenda- 
ble. And  when  a  person  has  once  become  a  purcha- 
ser, we  wish  to  know  by  what  authority  he  can  be 
prohibited  from  giving  his  vote  many  case  whatever, 
and  whether  such  a  proprietor's  vote  is  not  as  valid  as 
even  the  first  and  most  respectable  of  its  Founders  ? 


190  APPENDIX. 

We  are  not  able  to  find  any  record  of  this  church  from 
its  foundation  which  prohibits  the  sale  of  pews  to 
persons  of  any  persuasion  whatever  ;  and  the  old  pro- 
prietors of  the  Church  we  doubt  not  are  so  far  from 
disapproving  of  the  sale  of  pews  to  the  late  purchas- 
ers, that  it  would  make  them  happy  to  dispose  of  as 
many  more  to  persons  of  equal  merit.  We  would  ask 
these  Protestors  if  they  do  not  wish  from  their  hearts 
that  the  Episcopal  church  in  general  might  grow  ?  and 
how  is  it  to  grow,  if  not  by  additions  from  other 
churches  ?  But  look  at  the  other  Episcopal  Churches 
in  this  town  ;  of  whom  do  the  far  greater  part  of  them 
consist,  but  of  those  who  were  educated  in  another 
persuasion?  and  are  they  allowed  to  have  no  vote  at 
all  ?  But  this  matter  is  too  futile  for  serious  discus- 
sion. 

The  Protestors  next  say  that  "  these  new  proprie- 
tors have  introduced  a  Liturgy  different  from  any 
now  used  in  the  United  States."  This  assertion  is  on 
many  accounts  very  extraordinary.  Before  any  alter- 
ation was  made  in  the  Liturgy,  was  it  not  considered 
at  a  meeting  of  the  Members  whether  any  alterations 
in  the  service  were  necessary  ?  was  it  not  voted  in  the 
affirmative  by  Messrs  Haskins  and  Williams  ?  was  not 
a  committee  then  appointed  to  inquire  what  alterations 
were  necessary  ?  Did  not  that  Committee  consist  of 
persons,  who  have  always  been  of  the  Church  ?  How 
then  can  it  be  said  to  have  been  done  by  the  new  pro- 
prietors ?  This  is  a  subterfuge  too  little  to  be  offered 
to  the  public  in  a  matter  of  such  importance.  Further, 
was  there  not  an  unanimous  vote  at  the  first  meeting 
of  the  Committee  before  any  business  was  acted  upon, 
that  it  was  still  the  opinion  of  the  Committee  that  some 


APPENDIX.  191 

alterations  were  necessary?  We  pledge  our  word  to 
the  public  for  the  truth  of  the  affirmative  of  these 
queries  ;  and  also  that  Messrs  Haskins  and  Williams 
voted  personally  for  many  of  these  alterations  tho'  not 
all.  And  now  because  the  business  has  not  termin- 
ated exactly  to  their  minds,  they  appear  thus  openly 
against  the  Church.  However,  as  we  greatly  respect 
these  gentlemen  as  worthy,  conscientious  men,  we 
will  not  wound  their  feelings  by  saying  more  on  this 
part  of  our  subject. 

We  come  now  to  the  last  article  to  be  taken  notice 
of,  which  is  that  "  we  have  introduced  articles  of  faith 
which  in  their  opinion  are  unscriptural  and  heretical 
and  have  thereby  deprived  many  of  the  proprietors  of 
their  property  in  the  house,  and  the  privilege  of  wor- 
shipping God  therein  according  to  the  dictates  of  their 
consciences."  As  to  depriving  them  of  their  property, 
the  church  never  had  a  thought  of  doing  it.  We  shall 
be  very  happy  in  having  them  join  with  us  in  religious 
worship  ;  but  if  they  cannot  do  this,  they  may  still  re- 
tain or  doubtless  dispose  of  their  property  in  the 
Church  to  great  advantage.  As  to  the  introduction  of 
any  articles  of  faith,  the  charge  is  totally  without 
foundation.  We  have  no  articles  of  faith  but  the 
Apostles'  creed.  It  is  true  some  parts  of  that  are 
omitted,  and  for  these  omissions  all  the  members  of  the 
Committee  voted,  Mr  Haskins  and  Mr  Williams  not 
excepted.  That  the  world  however  may  know  what 
those  tenets  and  articles  are  which  are  so  unscriptu- 
ral, Ave  hereby  declare,  that  we  worship  and  adore  one 
only  living  and  true  God,  the  parent  of  mankind,  the 
bountiful  Giver  of  all  Good ;  that  we  offer  our  adora- 
tions to  him  in  the  name  of  his  dearly  beloved  Son, 


192  APPENDIX. 

the  Redeemer  of  mankind ;  and  that  we  expect  and 
hope  for  pardon  and  acceptance  and  eternal  happiness 
only  thro'  the  mercies  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ.  And  if 
this  is  the  doctrine  which  they  call  heresy,  we  pro- 
fess thus  to  worship  the  God  of  our  fathers. 


XIII. 

ORDINATION    OF  THE    REV.    JAMES  FREEMAN. 

On  Sunday,  18th  November,  1787,  after  the  Rev.  Mr 
Freeman  had  finished  the  reading  of  Evening  prayer, 
the  Wardens  joined  him  in  the  reading  desk,  when  the 
Senior  Warden  (Thomas  Bulfinch,  M.  D.)  made  a  short 
but  pertinent  address  to  the  vestrymen,  proprietors  and 
congregation,  on  the  importance  of  the  service  in 
which  they  were  now  engaging. 

"  Brethren  of  the  Vestry,  proprietors  and  congrega- 
tion who  statedly  worship  in  this  Church  !  At  your  last 
meeting  at  this  place  you  appointed  this  day  for  the 
ordination  of  the  Rev.  Mr  Freeman  ;  you  then  deter- 
mined it  by  a  vote  which  I  shall  now  read,  to  be  signed 
by  the  wardens  on  your  behalf.  But  as  this  mode  of 
procedure  may  appear  new  and  unprecedented  to  some 
of  this  Audience,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  assign  a  rea- 
son for  adopting  it. 

"  It  is  now  upwards  of  four  years,  since  you  made 
choice  of  the  Rev.  Mr  Freeman  for  your  Minister, 
since  which  time  you  have  been  anxious  for  his  ordi- 
nation, that  he  might  be  empowered  to  administer  the 


APPENDIX.  193 

ordinances  of  the  Gospel  — and  although  you  have  re- 
peatedly sought  for  this  power,  yet  you  have  not  been 
able  to  obtain  it.  Some  hopes  have  been  conceived 
from  the  American  Bishops,  the  Right  Rev.  Dr  Sea- 
bury,  and  since  from  the  Rt  Rev.  Dr  Provost,  but  that 
prospect  being  still  distant,  you  have  adopted  the  pre- 
sent mode,  rather  than  be  longer  deprived  of  those 
ordinances.  As  the  business  before  us  is  of  a  serious 
and  important  nature,  it  becomes  us  to  begin  it  with  a 
solemn  address  to  the  great  Parent  of  mankind." 

The  first  ordaining  prayer  Avas  then  read  by  the  Rev. 
Mr  Freeman.  The  Senior  Warden  then  read  the  or- 
daining vote,  Viz.  "  We  the  Wardens,  vestry,  propri- 
etors and  congregation  of  King's  Chapel,  or  first 
Episcopal  church  in  Boston,  do,  by  virtue  of  the  third 
article  in  the  declaration  of  rights,  hereby  solemnly 
elect,  ordain,  constitute  and  appoint  the  Rev.  James 
Freeman  of  said  Boston  to  be  our  Rector,  Minister, 
Public  Teacher,  Priest,  Pastor  and  teaching  Elder,  to 
preach  the  word  of  God,  and  to  dispense  lessons  and 
instructions  in  piety,  religion,  and  morality  ;  and  to 
minister  the  holy  sacraments  in  the  congregation  ;  and 
to  do,  perform  and  discharge  all  the  other  duties  and 
offices,  which  of  right  belong  to  any  other  Rector, 
minister,  public  teacher,  Pastor,  teaching  elder,  or 
Priest  in  orders. 

"  And  it  is  hereby  understood  and  intended,  that  the 
authority  and  rights  hereby  given  to  the  said  James 
Freeman,  to  be  our  Rector,  Minister,  public  Teacher, 
Priest,  teaching  Elder  and  Pastor,  are  to  remain  in  full 
force  so  long  as  he  shall  continue  to  preach  the  word 
of  God,  and  dispense  instructions  in  piety,  religion  and 
morality,  conformably  to  our  opinions  and  sentiments  of 
13 


194  APPENDIX. 

the  holy  scriptures,  and  no  longer:  and  that  ourjudge- 
ment  of  his  not  thus  conforming  to  our  religious  senti- 
ments and  opinions,  shall  be  ascertained  by  the  votes 
of  three  fourths  of  the  wardens  and  vestry,  and  of 
three  fourths  of  the  proprietors  usually  worshipping  in 
said  church,  separately  and  individually  taken." 

"  Brethren  !  if  this  vote  be  agreeable  to  your  minds, 
if  you  readily  and  cheerfully  adopt  it,  if  you  mean  to 
convey  all  the  powers  expressed  in  it  —  please  to  sig- 
nify it." —  In  token  of  their  unanimous  approbation, 
the  proprietors  lifted  up  their  right  hands. 

"If  it  is  your  desire  that  the  said  vote  be  now  signed 
by  the  wardens  in  your  behalf,  please  to  signify  it."  — 
The  Proprietors,  as  before,  unanimously  lifted  up 
their  right  hands. The  Senior  Warden  then  ad- 
dressing Mr  Freeman,  said — "  Revd  Sir,  it  appears  by 
the  vote  in  favour  of  your  ordination  that  you  are  law- 
fully chosen — it  is  expected  that  you  now  declare 
your  acceptance  of  the  choice."  —  Mr  Freeman  then 
read  and  presented  to  the  Senior  Warden  the  following 
subscribed  by  him.  Viz  —  "  To  the  Wardens,  Vestry, 
proprietors  and  congregation  of  the  Chapel  or  first 
Episcopal  church  in  Boston.  Brethren,  with  cheerful- 
ness and  gratitude  I  accept  your  election  and  ordina- 
tion which  I  believe  to  be  valid  and  Apostolick. 
And  I  pray  God  to  enable  me  to  preach  the  word,  and 
to  administer  the  ordinances  of  religion  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  that  I  may  promote  his  glory,  the  honour  of  the 
Redeemer  and  your  spiritual  edification. 

James  Freeman." 

The  Senior  Warden  then  delivered  to  Mr  Freeman 
a  copy  of  the  ordaining  vote  signed  by  the  Wardens, 
and  laying  his  hand  on  Mr  Freeman,  said, 


APPENDIX.  195 

as  Senior  Warden  of  this  church,  by  virtue  of  the 
authority  delegated  to  me,  in  the  presence  of  Almighty 
God,  and  before  these  witnesses,  declare  you,  the  Rev. 
James  Freeman,  to  be  the  Rector,  Minister,  Priest,  Pas- 
tor, public  Teacher,  and  teaching  Elder  of  this  Epis- 
copal church  ;  —  in  testimony  whereof  I  deliver  you 
this  book  (delivering  him  a  Bible)  containing  the  holy 
oracles  of  Almighty  God,  enjoining  a  due  observance 
of  all  the  precepts  contained  therein,  particularly  those 
which  respect  the  duty  and  office  of  a  Minister  of 
Jesus  Christ.  —  And  the  Lord  bless  you  and  keep  you, 
the  Lord  lift  up  the  light  of  his  countenance  upon  you 
and  give  you  peace  now  and  forevermore."  The  whole 
Assembly  as  one  man,  spontaneously  and  emphatically 
pronounced  Amen. 

The  Rev  Mr  Freeman  then  read  the  second  ordain- 
ing prayer,  and  after  an  Anthem  was  sung  by  the  choir, 
preached  on  the  duties  and  offices  of  a  Christian  Min- 
ister. Another  Anthem  then  closed  the  Evening 
service. 


XIV. 

DR  BELKNAP'S  REMARKS    ON    MR  FREEMAN'S    ORDINATION. 

[See  page  142.] 
For  the  Centinel. 

A  ROWLAND    FOR  YOUR  OLIVER.  * 

On  Sunday  the  18th  inst.  was  exhibited  at  the  house 
formerly  called  the  King's  Chapel,  an  instance  of  the 
public  exercise   of  a  long  dormant  right,  which  every 

*  In  answer  to  a  scurrilous  piece  in  a  preceding  paper. 


196  APPENDIX. 

Society  civil  and  religious  has  to  elect  and  Ordain  their 
own  officers.  It  is  to  be  observed  that  application  had 
been  made  to  one  or  more  of  the  laivned  successors  of 
the  humble  apostles,  for  ordination  in  the  Episcopal 
mode,  but  it  was  withheld  on  account  of  the  unpliable 
integrity  of  the  Candidate,  in  scrupling  subscription 
to  articles  of  faith  of  human  composure.  And  though 
the  Bible,  the  work  of  Prophets,  Evangelists,  and  Apos- 
tles, was  acknowledged  as  the  standard  of  faith,  yet 
this  acknowledgment  was  insufficient !  When  priestly 
usurpation  is  carried  to  a  certain  pitch,  the  people 
(thank  Heaven)  can,  and  will  find  out  their  own  rights, 
and  know  how  to  exercise  them.  Invested  with  this 
right  by  the  God  of  nature,  secured  in  the  exercise  of 
it  by  the  civil  constitution,  and  encouraged  by  all  the 
consistent  friends  of  order  and  liberty  ;  the  independ- 
ent congregation  by  their  representatives  publickly  in- 
vested with  the  ministerial  office  a  sensible,  honest  man, 
who  publickly  accepted  the  Bible  as  the  only  standard  of 
his  faith,  and  directory  of  his  preaching  and  ministra- 
tions. Thus  without  any  mysterious  unintelligible 
ceremonies ;  without  any  assumption  of  apostolick 
powers ;  without  any  pretended  superiority  of  office  ; 
without  any  affected  communication  of  sacerdotal 
effluviee,  was  a  servant  of  Jesus  Christ  introduced  into 
his  office  in  a  style,  simple,  decent,  primitive  and  con- 
stitutional. Then  was  cut  the  aspiring  comb  of  prela- 
tic  pride,  —  then  was  undermined  the  pompous 
fabrick  of  hierarchical  usurpation  ; —  then  was  pricked 
the  puffed  bladder  of  uninterrupted  succession  ;  while 
the  eye  of  liberty  sparkled  with  joy,  and  the  modest 
face  of  primitive,  simple,  unadulterated  Christianity 
brightened  with  the  conscious  smile  of  a  decent,  man- 
ly, substantial  triumph. 


APPENDIX.  197 


XV. 


CLERICAL    EXCOMMUNICATION    OF    MR    FREEMAF. 
[See  page  142.] 

From  the  Centinel  of  Jan.  28.    1783. 
EX  COMMUNICATION". 

Mr  Russel.  By  publishing  the  following  Protest,  or 
Excommunication  in  the  Centinel,  you  will  oblige 
yr  humble  servant,  James  Freeman, 

Minister  of  the  Stone  Chapel,  Boston. 

Whereas  a  certain  congregation  in  Boston  calling 
themselves  the  first  Episcopal  Church  in  that  town, 
have  in  an  irregular  unconstitutional  manner,  intro- 
duced a  Liturgy  essentially  differing  from  any  used  in 
the  Episcopal  churches  in  this  commonwealth,  and  in 
the  United  States,  not  to  mention  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  church  in  general,  and  have  also  assumed 
to  themselves  a  power  unprecedented  in  said  Church, 
of  separating  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  Mr  James 
Freeman,  who  has  for  some  time  past  been  their  Read- 
er ;  and  of  themselves  have  authorized  or  pretendedlv 
authorized  him  to  administer  the  Sacraments  of  Bap- 
tism and  the  Lord's  Supper  ;  and  at  the  same  time 
most  inconsistently  and  absurdly  take  to  themselves 
the  name  and  style  of  an  Episcopal  Church  :  —  We 
the  Ministers  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  church 
Avhose  names  are  underwritten,  do  hereby  declare  the 
proceedings  of  said  congregation  usually  meeting  in 
the  Stone  Chapel  in  Boston,  to  be  irregular,  unconsti- 
tutional,   diametrically    opposite    to    every   principle 


198  APPENDIX. 

adopted  in  any  Episcopal  Church,  subversive  of  all 
order  and  regularity,  and  pregnant  with  consequences 
fatal  to  the  interests  of  religion.  And  we  do  hereby, 
and  in  this  public  manner  protest  against  the  aforesaid 
proceedings,  to  the  end  that  all  those  of  our  commu- 
nion, wherever  dispersed,  may  be  cautioned  against 
receiving  said  Reader  or  Preacher,  Mr  James  Free- 
man as  a  clergyman  of  our  church,  or  holding  any 
communion  with  him  as  such  ;  and  may  be  induced 
to  look  on  his  congregation  in  the  light  in  which  it 
ought  to  be  looked  on  by  all  true  Episcopalians. 

Edward  Bass,  of  St  Paul's  Ch.  Newburyport. 

Samuel  Parker,  Trinity  Ch.  Boston. 

William  Montague,  Christ  Ch.  Boston. 

John  C.  Ogden.     Queen's  Chapel.     Portsmouth 

N.  H. 
Bee.  1787. 


XVI. 

SOME     NOTICES    OF  THE  REV.  SAMUEL   CARY. 
[J?ee  Pago  145.] 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Cary  was  the  son  of  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Cary  of  Newburyport,  in  which  place  he  was 
born.  Nov.  24,  1785.  He  was  graduated  at  Harvard 
University  in  1804.  He  studied  divinity  at  Cambridge 
for  three  years,  and  was  invited  to  preach  on  probation 
at  King's  Chapel  in  Nov.  1808.  He  was  ordained, 
Jan.  1, 1809.  He  was  married  in  1811,  and  died  Oct- 
22.1815. 


APPENDIX.  199 

His  publications  are,  1.  A  Discourse  before  the 
Merrimack  Humane  Society;  180G.  2.  A  Discourse 
at  his  own  Ordination.  3.  A  Discourse  delivered  on 
the  Day  of  the  National  Fast;  Sept.  9.  1813.  4.  A 
Sermon  before  the  Ancient  and  Honorable  Artillery 
Company  ;  June  6. 1814.  5.  A  Discourse  on  the  Igno- 
rance of  the  true  Meaning  of  the  Scriptures,  and  the 
Causes  of  it ;  1814.  6.  Sermon  on  the  Death  of 
Madam  Susan  Bulfinch  ;  Feb.  26.  1815.  7.  Review  of 
English's  "  Grounds  of  Christianity  Examined;"  1813. 

The  intelligence  of  Mr  Cary's  death  called  forth 
warm  and  heartfelt  tributes  of  respect  and  love  from  his 
friends.  A  Sermon  on  the  occasion  by  the  Rev.  Dr 
Freeman,  and  a  part  of  a  sermon  by  the  Rev.  Henry 
Colman,  in  which  his  virtues  and  talents  were  feeling- 
ly portrayed,  were  printed,  though  not  published.  His 
congregation  ordered  a  monument  to  be  erected  over 
his  remains,  and  an  epitaph  in  Latin  to  be  inscribed  on 
it,  which  was  from  the  pen  of  his  classmate,  Professor 
Andrews  Norton. 

An  account  of  Mr  Cary  was  also  published  in  Eng- 
land, in  the  Monthly  Repository  for  December,  1815, 
consisting  principally  of  an  extract  from  a  Funeral 
Discourse  delivered  the  Sunday  after  his  decease,  at 
the  Essex  Street  Chapel,  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Belsham. 
As  this  extract  contains  an  interesting  narrative  of  the 
circumstances  attending  his  death,  I  will  here  copy 
the  larger  portion  of  it,  without  apology. 

"  Dr  Freeman,  after  twenty  years'  active  service  in 
the  church,  finding  his  health  beginning  to  decline, 
requested  and  obtained  from  his  numerous  and  flourish- 
ing congregation  the  assistance  of  a  colleague.  That 
colleague   was  the   Reverend   Samuel  Cary,  a  young 


200  APPENDIX. 

man  of  distinguished  ability,  and  piety,  who  on  the 
first  of  January,  1809,  was  ordained  co-pastor  with  the 
Reverend  Dr  Freeman.  The  talents  and  the  virtues 
of  this  excellent  young  man  are  spoken  of  in  the  high- 
est terms  by  all  who  had  the  happiness  of  his  acquaint- 
ance, and  especially  by  those  who  enjoyed  the  great 
privilege  of  attending  upon  his  ministry. 

"  The  greatest  advantages  were  naturally  antici- 
pated from  this  auspicious  connexion.  The  venerable 
pastor  of  the  society  whose  precarious  health  led  him 
to  apprehend  that  his  own  labours  might  be  speedily  ter- 
minated, or  at  least  frequently  interrupted,  was  delight- 
ed with  the  prospect  of  leaving  the  people  of  his 
charge,  the  objects  of  his  affectionate  solicitude,  and 
particularly  the  rising  generation,  in  whose  welfare 
and  improvement  he  felt  a  peculiar  interest,  under  the 
care  of  one  who  would  follow  his  steps,  and  perfect 
the  work  of  instruction  and  edification  which  he  had 
so  happily  begun.  The  members  of  the  society  also 
rejoiced  that  they  had  found  a  minister  who  in- 
herited so  large  a  portion  of  the  spirit  of  their 
admired  and  beloved  pastor  ;  and  one  who  would  be  so 
well  qualified,  with  divine  assistance,  to  support  and 
to  carry  on  the  great  cause  of  truth  and  goodness, 
when  his  venerable  colleague  should  in  the  course  of 
nature  be  dismissed  from  his  labours,  or  by  declining 
health  and  the  infirmities  of  advancing  years  be  under 
the  necessity  of  retiring  from  his  official  duties. 
1  With  such  an  affectionate  people'  (saith  this  exem- 
plary minister  of  Christ,  in  a  charge  delivered  upon 
the  solemn  occasion  of  Mr  Cary's  settlement  as  a  co- 
pastor  with  him)  '  my  brother  has  reason  to  hope  that 
his  life  will  be  happy.     And  you,  my  friends,  on  your 


APPENDIX.  201 

part  have  cause  for  pleasing  expectation.  The  youth 
and  health  of  your  new  pastor  promise  you  many 
years  of  usefulness  and  love.  And  long  after  I  am 
laid  in  the  grave,  the  light  of  his  instructions  will  shed 
a  kindly  influence  upon  your  children.' 

"  Alas !  how  little  can  we  see  what  lies  before  us. 
For  what  is  human  life  ?  It  is  even  a  vapour,  which 
appears  for  a  little  time,  and  then  vanishes  away. 

"  How  much  nearer  to  the  truth,  much  nearer  indeed 
than  any  one  at  the  time  could  have  suspected,  were 
those  sadly  prophetic  words  which  occurred  a  few  sen- 
tences before  in  the  same  discourse,  and  upon  the 
same  occasion.  '  You  are  still  young  :  but  death  will 
soon  overtake  you.  This  solemn  truth  furnishes  you 
with  a  strong  motive  to  diligence.  The  world  abounds 
with  comforts  and  even  pleasures.  It  is  a  world  every 
part  of  which  displays  the  goodness  of  God.  But  the 
present  scene  is  not  permanent.  All  its  joys  are  pass- 
ing rapidly  away,  and  you  look  for  something  more 
substantial.'*1 

"  These  prophetic  words  have  been  but  too  literally 
and  exactly  fulfilled.  After  a  connexion  of  six  years, 
the  result  of  which  was  the  increasing  attachment  of 
his  reverend  colleague,  of  his  numerous  congregation, 
and  of  all  who  had  the  honour  and  the  happiness  of  his 
acquaintance,  Mr  Cary  was  arrested  in  the  midst  of 
his  days,  and  in  the  prime  of  his  usefulness,  by  the 
hand  of  death.  'His  purposes  were  broken  off,  even 
the  thoughts  of  his  heart.'  His  sun  is  gone  down 
while  it  was  yet  day.  All  his  schemes  of  usefulness, 
all   his  flattering  hopes  of  glorifying  God  and  Christ, 

*  Dr  Freeman's  Sermons,  pp.  294-5. 


202  APPENDIX. 

and  of  contributing  to  the  diffusion  of  trutli  and  vir- 
tue and  genuine  evangelical  piety  in  the  world  are  cut 
off  in  the  bud.  And  his  family,  his  colleague,  his  con- 
gregation, his  friends,  and  the  public,  are  left  to  de- 
plore their  irreparable  loss,  and  to  adore  the  unfathom- 
able mysteries  of  Divine  Providence  which  baffle  all 
human  sagacity,  and  whose  ways  are  past  rinding  out. 
"  Endued  with  a  vigour  of  constitution  which  pro- 
mised length  of  days,  and  which  perhaps  occasioned 
the  neglect  of  prudent  caution,  he  was  seized  in  March 
last  with  an  accidental  cold,  which  not  exciting  imme- 
diate alarm,  was  not  treated  with  sufficient  attention, 
and  which  of  consequence  went  on  increasing  in  vio- 
lence, and  gradually  sapping  his  excellent  constitution, 
till  in  the  month  of  July  he  found  himself  incapable  of 
continuing  his  public  services,  and  retired  for  a  few 
weeks  to  what  was  conceived  to  be  a  more  salubrious 
climate.  He  returned  somewhat  relieved,  but  without 
any  radical  improvement.  Some  of  his  friends  then 
suggested,  and  he  was  himself  inclined  to  hope,  that 
a  voyage  across  the  Atlantic  might  be  of  service  to 
his  health  ;  and  that  a  winter  spent  in  the  mild  cli- 
mate of  England  might  perfect  his  recovery.  He 
accordingly  left  Boston  in  the  month  of  September. 
His  passage  was  remarkably  expeditious.  But  the 
weather  being  uncommonly  wet  was  unfavorable  to  an 
invalid.  About  three  weeks  ago,  he  landed  at  Liver- 
pool, and  proceeded  to  Yorkshire,  where  he  passed  a 
few  days  in  the  house  of  a  friend.  But  finding  himself 
a  little  revived  he  was  anxious  to  continue  his  progress 
towards  the  south  :  being  desirous  after  passing  a  few 
weeks  near  the  metropolis  to  spend  the  winter  in  the 
West  of  England.     He  travelled  slowly,  and  by  short 


APPENDIX.  203 

stages,  as  he  was  able  to  bear  it  (accompanied  by  Mrs 
Cary,  whose  tender  solicitude  fur  his  health  and  com- 
fort animated  her  to  endure  the  fatigues  of  a  long  voy- 
age, and  of  a  residence  in  a  land  of  strangers,  together 
with  another  friend.)  Being  refreshed  by  gentle 
exercise  and  change  of  air,  he  pleased  himself  with 
the  hope  that  upon  some  early  day,  perhaps  at  this  very 
hour,  he  should  be  able  to  assist  in  divine  worship  in 
the  Chapel  which  Mr  Lindsey  had  founded,  in  which 
that  great  and  good  man  had  statedly  officiated,  and 
where  the  doctrine  which  he  himself  regarded  as  of  the 
first  importance,  that  of  the  sole  unrivalled  majesty 
and  worship  of  the  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  was 
still  publicly  taught.  But  this  favour  was  denied.  Last 
Lord's  Day  (October  22,)  he  was  at  Cambridge,  in  bet- 
ter spirits  than  usual  ;  and  expressed  his  delight  in 
the  transient  view  which  he  enjoyed  of  the  venerable 
and  majestic  buildings  of  that  ancient  seat  of  learning. 
In  the  evening  he  pursued  his  journey,  but  a  mile 
before  he  came  to  Royston,  he  was  seized  with  a  diffi- 
culty of  breathing,  and  an  acute  pain  across  the  chest. 
With  much  difficulty  he  was  taken  forward  to  the  end 
of  the  stage :  and  notwithstanding  all  the  assistance 
which  could  be  given,  and  the  humane  attention  which 
he  experienced  not  only  from  the  few  friends  who  ac- 
companied him  but  from  the  strangers  who  surrounded 
him,  Mr  Cary  expired  within  two  hours  after  his 
arrival. 

"  Almost  with  his  latest  breath  he  expressed  a  wish 
that  his  remains  might  be  taken  to  London,  and  that 
his  funeral  service  might  be  performed  by  the  officiating 
minister  of  Essex-Street  Chapel ;  to  whom  he  had 
brought  a  letter   of  introduction,  and   with   whom  he 


204  APPENDIX. 

had  expressed  a  desire  to  become  acquainted,  and  who 
on  his  part  would  have  been  truly  gratified  had  an  in- 
terview, however  short,  been  permitted  with  a  charac- 
ters© interesting.  All  that  Divine  Providence  in  fact 
allowed  was,  that  he  should  fulfil  the  dying  request  of 
his  unknown  friend  by  officiating  at  his  funeral.  Such 
was  the  will  of  Him  who  doth  all  things  well.  And 
may  his  will  be  done,  and  ever  be  cheerfully  acquiesced 
in  by  all  his  reasonable  creatures.  Nor,  after  all,  was 
the  disappointment  of  great  account.  Pass  but  a  few 
fleeting  years,  and  the  virtuous  of  all  countries  and  of 
all  ages,  will  meet,  to  part  no  more." 


XVII. 

INSCRIPTIONS  ON  THE  THREE  MONUMENTS  IN  KING'S  CHAPEL. 
1.    THE  SHIRLEY  TABLET. 

M.    S. 

FRANCISCO  SHIRLEY, 

Quam  Virginem 

Omnium  Adnrirationi  commendavit 

Eximius  Formre  Nitor, 

Familiarium  vero  eliam  Amori 

Gratior  veniens  in  pulchro  Corpore  virtus  : 

Quam  Nuptam 

Fides  intcmerata,  Amor  sincerus, 

Rerum  Domesticarum  prudens  Administratio, 

Indoles  suavissima, 

In  tantum  Marito  devinxerunt, 

Vt  Cor  ejus  in  ilia  tutissime  confident : 


APPENDIX.  205 

Quam  Matrem 

Nulla  prius  habuit  Cura 

Quam  ut  Liberorum  Animoa  prestantiasimia  nioribus  im- 

bueret, 

Quod  et  strenue  laboravit  et  feliciter  : 

Quam  Demum, 

In  omni  Vitae  statu  et  Conditione, 

Summa  Ingenii  Elegantia 

Quicquid  Decorum  atque  Honestum  diligenter  excolentis 

Quiequid  Vanum  contra  et  Leve  serio  aversantis 

Morum  Simplicity  Candida 

Pietas  infucata 

In  Egeno  Liberalitas,  in  omnes  Benevolentia, 

Dolorum  Tolerantia,  Voluptatum  Temperantia, 

Omnis  denique  et  omnimoda  Virtus 

Ut  amabilem  fecerunt  omnibus 

Ita  Amorem  ipsum  et  Delicias  hujus  Provincial  Vivam, 

Desiderium  triste  et  insolabile  reddiderunt  mortuam. 

Maritum  habuit  Gulielmum  Shirley  hujus  Provinciae 

Praefeetum, 

Quern Filiis  quatuor,  Filiabus  quinque  beavit. 

E  Stirpe  Geuerosa Nata est  Londini  mdcxcii, 

Denata  Dorcestriaj  Massachusettensium  pi  id:  Kal.  Sept. 

MDCCXLVI, 

In  communi  hujus  Op pidi  Caemeterio  conditae  ipsius  Exuviae 
Felicem  ad  meliorem  vitam  Reditum  expectant. 

Juxta  banc  Prsestantissimam  .Matrem  positum  est 
Quicquid   Mortale  fuit  Filice  Natu  secundaj  FRAXCisCiE 

BOLLA.V, 

Gulielmi   Boll  an  Armigeri 

In  Curia  Vice  Admiralitatis  apud  Massachusettenses 

Regii  Advocati, 

Nuper  Uxoris, 


206  APPENDIX. 

Quam  Virtus  et  Forma  excellens, 

Prudentia  et  Ingeniurn  excnltum, 

Pietas  et  Mores  suavissimi, 

Dilectissimam  omnibus,  dum  in  vivis  fuit  finxerunt. 

Spatiolo  Vitae,  (heu  brevi)  percurso, 

Annum  quippe  vix  quartum  supra  vicessimum  attigit, 

Primo  in  Partu  diem  obiit  supremum  xn  Kal.  Martias 

mdccxliv 

Marito,  Parentibus,  Amicis, 

Ingens  sui  Desiderium  relinquens. 


1.    THE    APTHORP    TABLET. 

M.  S. 
CAROL1  APTHORP, 

QUI 

PATERFAMILIAS  PEUDENS  ET  LIBERALIS. 

MERCATOR    INTEGERRIMUS, 

INSIGJVI    PROBITATE  CIVIS, 

INTER  HUJUS  .^DIS   INSTAURATORES 

PRECIPUE    MTJNIFICUS, 

SINCERA  FIDE   ET  LARGA  CARITATE 

CHRISTIANUS, 

OBIIT    SEXAGENARIES 

XI.  NOVEMBR.  MDCCLVIII, 

REPENTINA 

ET  SUIS  IMMATURA 

MORTE    PRJEREPTUS. 

NE 

TANTARUM  VIRTUTUM 

MEMORIA  ET  EXEMPI.UM 

OBSOLEREf, 


APPENDIX.  207 


VIDUA   ET    XV    LIBERI 

SUPERSTITES 

HOC    MARMOR 

A^ORIS   ET  PIETATIS  MONUMENTUM 

P    P. 


3.    THE  VASSALL    MONUMENT, 

Sacred  to  the  memory  of 

SAMUEL  VASSALL,  Esq.  of  LONDON,  Merchant, 

one  of  the  original  proprietors  of  the  lands 

of  this  Country  ; 

a  steady  and  undaunted 

asserter  of  the  Liberties  of  ENGLAND, 

in  1628, 

He  was  the  first  who  boldly  refused  to  submit  to  the  tax 

of  Tonnage  and  Poundage, 

an  unconstitutional  claim  of  the  Crown 

arbitrarily  imposed  : 

For  which  (to  the  ruin  of  his  family) 

his  goods  were  seized  and  his  person  imprisoned  by  the 

Star  Chamber  Court. 

He  was  chosen  to  represent  the  City  of 

LONDON, 

in  two  successive  Parliaments  which  met  Apr.  13  and  Nov.  3, 

1640. 

The  Parliament  in  July,  1641,  voted  him 

£10445.  12.  2 

for  his  damages, 

and  resolved  that  he  should  be  further  considered 

for  his  personal  sufferings  ; 

But  the  rage  of  the  times  and  the  neglect  of 

proper  applications  since 


208  APPENDIX. 

have  left  to  his  family  only  the  honour  of  that 

Vote  and  Resolution. 

He  was  one  of  the  largest  subscribers 

to  raise  money 

against  the  Rebels  in  IRELAND. 

All  these  facts  may  be  seen  in  the  Journal 

of  the   House  of  Commons. 

He  was  the  Son  of 

the  gallant  JOHN  VASSALL 

who  in  1588 

at  his  own  expense   fitted  out  and  commanded  two  Ships  of 

War, 

with  which  he  joined  the  Royal  Navy 

to  oppose 

the  SPANISH  ARMADA. 

This  monument  was  erected  by  his  great  grandson, 

FLORENTIUS    VASSALL,  Esq. 

of  the  Island  of  JAMAICA,  now  residing  in  ENGLAND, 

May,  1766. 


Beside  these  monuments  in  King's  Chapel,  there  is  a 
small  marble  tablet  inserted  over  the  door  of  the  vestry 
room,  bearing  the  following  inscription  : 

William  Price, 

a  benefactor  to  this  church, 

died,  May  xix,  mdcclxxii. 

aged  lxxxvii.  years. 


APPENDIX 


•209 


XVIII. 

LIST  OF  MINISTERS  OF  KING'S  CHAPEL. 


Inducted.  Died  or  removed. 


Robert  Ratcliffe, 

Rector. 

1686 

Left 

1689 

Robert  Clarke, 

Assistant. 

1686 

Samuel  Myles, 

Rector. 

1689 

Died 

1728 

George  Hatton, 

Assistant. 

1693 

Left 

1696 

Christopher  Bridge, 

do. 

1699 

Rem'i 

d.1706 

Henry  Harris. 

do. 

1709 

Died 

1729 

Roger  Price, 

Rector. 

1729 

Resi'nd.  1746 

Charles  Harward, 

Assistant. 

1731 

Died 

1736 

Addington  Davenpo 

%             do. 

1737 

Left 

1740 

Stephen  Roe, 

do. 

1741 

Rem' 

^d.  1744 

Henry  Caner, 

Rector. 

1747 

Left 

1776 

Charles  Brockwell, 

Assistant. 

1747 

Died 

1755 

Johr.  Troutbeck, 

do. 

1755 

Left 

1775 

James  Freeman, 

Reader. 

1782 

Do. 

Rector. 

1787 

Samuel  Cary,      Ass 

ociate  Minister. 

1809 

Died 

1815 

Francis  Win.  Pitt  G 

•eenwood,  do. 

1824 

XIX. 

LIST   OF    THE  WARDENS   OF    KING'S    CHAPEL. 


16S6tol687, 
1689, 
1690, 
1691, 
1692, 
1693, 

1694  1695, 
1696, 
1697, 
1698, 
1699, 
17C0, 
1701, 

1702     1703: 


Benjamin  Bullivant 
Francis  Foxcroft 
Benjamin  Mountfort 
Savill  Simpson 
Nicholas  Tippet 

William  Hobby 
Thaddeus  Maccarty 
Giles  Dyer 
Giles  Dyer 
George  Turfrey 

John  Indicott 

William  Hobby 

East  Apthorp 

Edward  Lyde 

14 


and  Richard  Banks. 

Samuel  Ravenscroft. 
Giles  Dyer. 
Harry  Clark. 
Edward  Gouge. 
George  Turfrey. 
Francis  Foxcroft. 
Benjamin  Mountfort. 
Shubal  Simpson. 
John  Indicott. 
William  Hobby. 
East  Apthorp. 
Edward  Lyde. 
Samuel  Checkley. 


214 


APPENDIX, 


1704,  Thomas  Newton 

1705,  Nicholas  Roberts 

1706,  John  Nelson 

1707,  Savill  Simpson 
1703,  William  Tailer 

1709,  Thomas  Newton 

1710,  Arthur  Langharne 

1711,  Anthony  Blount 
1713     1714,  Sir  Charles  Hobby 
1715     1716,  John  Oulton 

1717     1718,  Giles  Dyer 

1719     1720   Henry  Francklyn 

1721,  John  Cutler 

1722,  John  Cutler 

1723,  Francis  Brinley 

1724,  James  Stirling 
1725, John  Barnes 

1726,  John  Gibbins 

1727,  Thomas  Selby 

1725,  John  Eastwicke 

1729,  William  Randle 

1730,  William  Speakman 

1731,  Job  Lewis 

1732,  Charles  Apthorp 

1733,  George  Steuart 

1734,  George  Shore 

1735,  Thomas  Greene 

1736,  John  Read 

1737,  Thomas  Child 

1738,  William  Coffin 

1739,  Silvester  Gardiner 

1740,  James  Gordon 

1741,  William  Shirley 

1742,  S.imuel  Wentworth 

1743,  Eliakim  Hutchinson 

1744,  Charles  Apthorp 

1745,  George  Cradock 
1746  to  1752,  James  Gordon 

1753,  John  Box 

1754,  James  Forbes 

1755,  James  Forbes 
1756     1757   Silvester  Gardiner 
1758     1759,  Silvester  Gardiner 
1760     1761,  Nathaniel  Wheelwright 


Nicholas  Roberts. 
John  Nelson. 
Savill  Simpson. 
William  Tailer. 
Thomas  Newton. 
Arthur  Langharne. 
Anthony  Blount. 
Cyprian  Southack. 
John  Jekyll. 
John  Valentine. 
Edward  Mills. 
George  Cradock. 
Henry  Francklyn 
James  Smith. 
James  Stirling. 
John  Barnes. 
John  Gibbins. 
Thomas  Selby. 
Thomas  Phillips. 
William  Randle. 
William  Speakman. 
Job  Lewis. 
Charles  Apthorp. 
George  Steuart. 
George  Shore. 
Thomas  Greene. 
John  Read. 
Thomas  Child. 
William  Coffin. 
Silvester  Gardiner. 
James  Gordon. 
William  Shirley. 
Samuel  Wentworth. 
Eliakim  Hutchinson. 
Charles  Apthorp. 
George  Cradock. 
William  Shirley,  jr. 
John  Box. 
James  Forbes. 
John  Box. 
Thomas  Hawding. 
Henry  Lloyd. 
Nathl.  Wheelwright. 
Charles  Paxton. 


APPENDIX. 


21! 


1763 
1769 


17S3 
1793 

1796 
1798 
1827 


1762,  Charles  Paxton  Silvester  Gardiner. 

176S,  Silvester  Gardiner  Charles  Paxton. 

1774,  Silvester  Gardiner  Gilbert  Deblois. 

Revolutionary  interval. 

17S2,  Thomas  Bulfineh  James  Ivers. 

1792,  Thomas  Bulfineh  Shrimp.  Hutchinson. 

1794,  Thomas  Bulfineh  Joseph  May. 

1795,  Charles  Miller  Joseph  May. 
1797,  Charles  Miller  Ebenezer  Oliver. 
1826,  Ebenezer  Oliver  Joseph  May. 

,  Francis  Johonnot  Oliver  William  Minot. 


King's  Chapel  as  in  1720.   Beacon  Hill  in  the  distance. 


DATE  DUE 

&&)£?&  **?** 

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